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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25931221">Blue Scar Odyssey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodSaveTheKings/pseuds/GodSaveTheKings'>GodSaveTheKings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Adventure &amp; Romance, Angst, Complicated Relationships, Confessions, Curses, Eventual Relationships, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Guilt, Love Confessions, Mild Disturbing Elements, Romance, Sickfic, World Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:22:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>98,382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25931221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodSaveTheKings/pseuds/GodSaveTheKings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Wither and decay." </p><p>Rapunzel never thought she would have to hear those words again. But then why does she find herself saying them when she doesn't mean to? Why can't she seem to stop, no matter how hard she tries? And why is it that every time she says it, she feels like she's one step closer to death?</p><p>It turns out the Decay Incantation carried with it something else: a curse that destroys its speaker's mind and body. Desperate to save her cursed soul before it's too late, Rapunzel and Cassandra must head out into new bizarre lands and uncover more secrets about the Moonstone and the Incantation...and maybe even learn what destiny truly has in store for her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>78</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>229</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Sweet Symphony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello there, everyone. We finally finished watching RTA at a friend's request and felt inspired to write something about it. We are just trying out some ideas for stories, so if you liked what you read and would like to see more of it, please feel free to let us know. This story will be heading towards a more Cassunzel adventury bend with some mildly disturbing elements, but nothing too bad. First though, we need a chapter or two to set everything up. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>It's already too late. What's been spoken cannot be undone."</em></p><p>She found herself breathless in a void, surrounded by swirling tendrils of darkness. She stood on a reflective pool of still water, and beneath her bare feet, she saw herself with long, golden strands of hair, grinning back. Her reflection spoke with a hiss.</p><p>"<em>The Sundrop is gone. Its light can't protect you anymore. You've been doomed the moment you said those words."</em></p><p>She tried to scream, but her voice had been stolen, and what remained scratched at her throat. She compelled her feet to move, but she felt something tight wrap around them. It was her reflection's hair, bursting from the pool, tightening around her ankles. She gasped as the hair traveled further up her legs, squeezing her so tightly she went numb. The reflection laughed, and more strands of hair shot forth from the darkness, lashing out like whips, tangling themselves around her waist, her wrists, her arms. She tried desperately to pull away, but she was forced to a stop when a long, coarse strand of blonde hair wrapped itself tightly around her jugular. Her eyes went wide, and fear overtook her like nothing else she had felt in her life. It was the end. She couldn't move. Couldn't think. Her freedom had finally been stripped from her, and as the panic filled her and her heart raced faster in her ears, her reflection began to laugh—and then, she started to sing, her voice beautiful and haunting.</p><p>"<em>Wither and decay…"</em></p><p>The hair turned black, and the hair tightened around her limbs.</p><p>"<em>End this destiny…"</em></p><p>She felt her arms snap under the pressure of her binds, and her instinct told her to scream, but even if her voice hadn't abandoned her, her neck was squeezed so tightly that no sound could escape anyway. More hair engulfed her, covering her face, blinding her, running up into her nose, her sinuses, choking her from within. It dipped into her mouth, her throat, pushing into her stomach, flooding her insides like some invading parasite.</p><p>"<em>Break these earthly chains…"</em></p><p>Her life was fading. She could feel it leaving her. Her soul—drained away into the reflection. Stolen. Her mind failed her. She was so weak. So tired. Why fight it? It was only death. She had never been scared to die before. Just embrace it. Embrace the end.</p><p>"<em>And set the spirit—"</em></p>
<hr/><p>Rapunzel's eyes shot open, and she sat up in bed with a startled gasp. She clutched her chest, trying to catch her breath as she reclaimed a sense of her surroundings. It was still dark, but a different kind of darkness. Not hostile, but cool and familiar. There was moonlight shining in through the window, and as her eyes adjusted and she slowly calmed herself, she could see the dim blue light shine onto the endless murals that orchestrated memories along her bedroom wall. She was in her bed. Safe. Secure. Very much alive.</p><p>She felt something rustle next to her, and she panicked only for a moment before she realized that it was only Eugene, lying next to her wearing a silk robe and a plushy facemask. He was still sound asleep, undisturbed by her shock. Go figure; she had been married to the man for four months, and in that time, she learned that once he was deep into his beauty sleep, not even a hurricane would be able to stir him. Not that that was a bad thing. She didn't want to disturb him with something so trivial as a bad dream. Even a such a surreal one.</p><p>Rapunzel heard a small squeak, and in a matter of seconds, her adorable pet chameleon raced down her shoulder and planted itself on her lap, looking up at her with overly big, concerned eyes. Rapunzel smiled warmly at him, sensing his worry and doing her best to alleviate it.</p><p>"Sorry for waking you, Pascal. I just had a nightmare. That's all."</p><p>Pascal continued looking quizzically at her, not buying her explanation in the slightest.</p><p>"Okay, a <em>weird</em> nightmare," Rapunzel. "But that's it. Everything is fine. I'm sorry I got you up so early."</p><p>Now that she thought of it, what time was it? It couldn't be deep into the night, but that sleep felt like it had lasted an eternity. She supposed that it didn't really matter. She would have to get up rather early for her busy day tomorrow—or… today, rather. She had too much to do to let something like a nightmare get to her. She knew that she needed to get back to sleep as soon as possible to make sure she had energy for everything that was set out for her.</p><p>But still, that nightmare—there was something exceptionally tangible about it that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps it was just her shock that it actually <em>was</em> a nightmare. She used to get them all the time after she first left her tower, but ever since she defeated Zhan Tiri, every night had only met her with quiet, sensationless dreams. She had taken that as a sign from the universe that her adventure really was over. There was no longer anything she needed to fear. She, and everybody else, got their happily ever after. It was done. Yet that nightmare, the sensation of her own hair wrapped and twisted around her neck like a noose, shooting into her stomach, writhing its way through her organs like a worm, was more vivid than any of her peaceful nights of rest. Hell, it felt more alive than when she was actually awake.</p><p>Rapunzel sighed and gently patted Pascal on the head. She was overthinking things. It was just a bad dream. It meant nothing. She lied back down on her pillow, and forced herself to take a deep, calming breath. Everything would be fine, as long as she could go back to sleep.</p><p>In the moments before she drifted off, her hand wandered up to her throat. The last thing she thought before she drifted back off to sleep was how strangely sore it was.</p>
<hr/><p>Corona had a great number of holidays, and to say that Rapunzel loved them all would be an understatement. She simply couldn't help but love the fact that her Kingdom was so dedicated to celebrating even the smallest wonders of the world around them. It was like an ever-present reminder of how much good there was out in the world to be celebrated, and celebrate they did; it seemed like hardly a day went by where she wasn't planning one set of festivities or participating in another. It was one of her favorite duties as a Princess, partially because of how naturally it came to her, and of how stress-free it was.</p><p>This day was <em>so not </em>stress-free.</p><p>Today's holiday: The Day of the Rose. The occasion: to celebrate the coming of spring and good tidings, as well as the copious amounts of flowers that bloomed throughout the fields surrounding the Kingdom. Should it have really been called The Day of the Flower, then? Yes. Yes, it should have been. But Rapunzel didn't name the holidays. She merely celebrated them. Maybe that would be one of her duties when she became Queen—Official Creator of Holidays. She quite liked the sound of that, and it was passive little thoughts like that which were the only things keeping her sane as she struggled through her incredible not-stress-free day.</p><p>Nine o'clock: Host a breakfast with the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia as he visits for the festival. Ten o'clock: Cut a ceremonial ribbon for the remodeling of Attila and Monty's bakery. Ten fifteen: Stop the wild goat before it once again smashed Attila and Monty's bakery. Ten thirty: Run back to the castle to change her clothes which were covered in muddy goat prints. Ten thirty-one: Give a walking tour of the Flower Festival to chatty tourists. Eleven forty-five: Check in with the decorators she hired for her parents' massive anniversary dinner. Because did she mention that it was <em>also</em> her parents' anniversary? Probably not, because twelve o'clock: Host another meal with the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia. Twelve o'three: Watch the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia suffer an allergic reaction to blueberries. Twelve o'four: give CPR to the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia. Twelve o'six: Watch medics properly resuscitate the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia when she couldn't. Twelve o'six again: listen to the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia tell them they are ending their trade negotiations. Twelve o'seven: Apologize to her Father for forgetting to ask about the Prince of the Kingdom of Vaslupia's food allergies.</p><p>That was all <em>before</em> the water heater exploded in the basement.</p><p>By the time the sun had set, Rapunzel was more exhausted than she had been in a long time. It was almost like she was back on the road, traveling across the world, except far more tedious and with less of a chance to be randomly turned into a bird. She wanted to crawl back into her bed and pass out, and it took Pascal climbing on top of her head and tugging on her hair to direct her where to go for her to keep moving. She had to put on a happier face. It was five fifty-five, which meant that in five minutes, her parents were going to be hosting a dinner for the most esteemed citizens of Corona, and that also meant that in seven minutes, she would be giving a speech to the most esteemed citizens of Corona. Normally, she could blow through an inspiring speech in her dreams, but this one had to be special. It was the first speech she would give from her life as a married woman, and for an occasion celebrating love at its finest, she wanted all of her love for Eugene to be poured into the speech as well.</p><p>Her eyes were locked to her hands, counting through her important talking points on her fingers.</p><p>"And so, let's have a toast to the blooming flowers of Corona, and the enduring love that ever blooms in our hearts." She pursed her lips. "I don't know, Pascal. Enduring love sounds a little too cheesy, right? Or is it not cheesy enough? Unyielding love? Undying? Omnipresent?"</p><p>Pascal was too busy trying to steer her away from crashing into a wall to give her his approval.</p><p>"Hmm… maybe existential? That sounds a little too impersonal, though."</p><p>She barely noticed that she had been steered into the royal ballroom until Pascal pulled down sharply on her hair and forced her gaze upward. The beauty of the room was enough to pull her out of her worried stupor for just a few moments. Every single inch of the ballroom—from the murals painted on the walls, to the stone pillars propping up the roof, to the light fixtures dangling from overhead like little stars—was covered head-to-toe in flowers of all shapes, types, and sizes. A delightful mix of aromas immediately struck her senses, and she took in a deep breath as she was instantly reminded of frolicking in springtime fields. If it was physically possible to breathe in a rainbow, Rapunzel was certain it would be just like standing in that room. She calmed down and took in another deep breath, sighing contently as she refocused herself.</p><p>There was some mild chaos amongst the beauty, however. Along the sides of the room were an unknowable number of different platters of food, and while most of it lay undisturbed, one particular set of pastry was currently stuck in the middle of a tug-of-war between Corona's new Captain of the Guard and a former thief who couldn't resist his deeper urges.</p><p>"Ugh, for the love of…" Eugene ranted, tugging hard on the pastry. "Why did I ever think it was a good idea to let you guard the food?"</p><p>"Because you understand that I have impeccable self-control," Lance said with a confident smirk. "And I have guarded the food excellently, if I may say so!"</p><p>"You ate fourteen slices of pecan pie!"</p><p>"Which is now extra safe in the confines of my stomach!"</p><p>The two battled back and forth over control of the silver platter, croissants and biscuits and cookies with jam fillings sliding dangerously along its metal surface, until their battle reached its peak and they both lost their grip, sailing backward and causing the platter to fly up in the air and, after seemingly hanging in place, plummeted rapidly to the earth. They both gasped in horror, realizing their mistake, and as the platter descended, they both braced for disaster. Fortunately, Rapunzel was there, diving out of nowhere just in time to secure the platter in her outstretched arms and prevent a disaster of pastry-tastical proportions mere minutes before guests were scheduled to flood into the ballroom.</p><p>"Got it!" she cried with relief, lying on the ground. "Catastrophe averted!" Pascal hung onto her hair for dear life, nearly thrown off off her by her dive. He dangled in front of her face before he scampered back to the safety of her shoulder.</p><p>"Nice catch, Rapunzel!" Lance said with bristled awe, hurrying back to his feet. "You can always count a Princess to have your back. Now, if you excuse me—"</p><p>Before Lance could lay another one of his thieving fingers on the desserts, Eugene snatched the tray away from Rapunzel's grasp and held them away before any more of its delicacies could be stolen.</p><p>"I think you've had enough for today, Lance. Are you all right, Rapunzel?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Rapunzel said with a smile, brushing herself off as she returned to her feet. "Nothing I'm not used to."</p><p>"I know," Eugene said, carefully returning the pastry tray to the table while keeping an eye on his former partner-in-crime. "I just want to make sure that you're fine with the big speech tonight."</p><p>"Oh, that?" Rapunzel said with a laugh. "That's fine. You know I'm fine with speeches. I can give a speech at the snap of a finger."</p><p>Eugene nodded his head. "You're worried about the speech."</p><p>"A teensy bit, yeah."</p><p>"Look, Blondie," Eugene sighed lovingly, taking Rapunzel's hands in his own, "there is literally nothing to worry about. It's a speech in front of a bunch of hussie-fussie people whose opinions you don't care about. You'll do great as always."</p><p>"I know, but still," Rapunzel explained, "it's weighing on me. I just feel like I need it to go perfect this time."</p><p>"I'm sure whatever you say will wonderful," Eugene said warmly. His gaze was averted from hers, however, as he saw the Queen approach them, no doubt drawn to them by the commotion with the pastry platter. He gave a quick salute, trying to maintain his cool, though the knowing smirk the Queen gave as she approached him implied his act wasn't working.</p><p>"Everything okay over here?" she asked politely. Eugene quickly shot a glance to Lance, who also, after only a few awkward moments of hesitation, saluted in kind.</p><p>"Yes, Your Highness," Eugene said with authority. "Everything is in tip-top shape!"</p><p>"That's very good to hear," she stated. "And Eugene, I told you before: You're allowed to call me Mom now."</p><p>"And as I said before, that is still incredibly uncomfortable for me," Eugene said still authoritatively. "I will go check the perimeter one last time now! For reasons completely unrelated to anything going on over here. I wish the Princess Rapunzel good luck in her speech."</p><p>He took off to fulfill the rest of his guard duties, but not before taking Lance by the arm and leading him away from the rest of the food. Queen Arianna and Rapunzel watched them go away, and then Arianna turned to give Rapunzel a gentle smile.</p><p>"Are you ready, dear?"</p><p>"Mostly," Rapunzel confessed. "Eugene might have a point, though. I don't know why I'm feeling anxious about this."</p><p>"Would it have anything to do with the hundreds of important dignitaries?" Queen Arianna pondered.</p><p>"No. Usually it wouldn't matter at all," Rapunzel noted. "I've just been feeling weird all day today. I don't know how to describe it, but it's like I'm off-balance."</p><p>"Well, you are carrying around a lot less hair," her mother joked. "And you have had quite the day so far. I remember some of the rougher days your father and I had after I became Queen. Sometimes it can feel like the entire weight of the world is on your shoulders. You just have to pick your head up and keep moving forward."</p><p>"Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe I just need to eat something."</p><p>Queen Adrianna nodded slyly. "Those pastries did look pretty good."</p><p>A bell suddenly rang out, signifying the start of the new hour and the imminent arrival of their guests. Rapunzel and the Queen hurried to their seats at the head table of the ballroom, next to King Frederic, before the flood of guests suddenly burst through the doors. The Dinner of the Rose was a time-honored tradition of the Day of the Rose. It was a chance for the royal family to honor those in the Kingdom and from abroad who worked tirelessly to ensure their land was prosperous. Hundreds had been invited, from not just within the city walls but also from the villages scattered throughout the Kingdom—nobles, priests, and anyone else of high stature deemed worthy enough to enter the walls of the palace. Of course, Rapunzel was more than willing to give her father a gentle nudge to invite others—merchants, chefs, schoolteachers, and the other members of Corona who allowed their great Kingdom to operate functionally. Her father was more than happy to agree, and the end result was that for the past several years, the Dinner of the Rose was an event that could be attended by more than just the elite of their society... though mostly it was still elite members of society. Progress was still progress.</p><p>There were dozens of long, elegantly decorated tables lining the floor of the ballroom, and guests eagerly rushed to fill their seats, ready for the feast that the royal family had prepared for them. Rested on top of each plate was a single, beautiful rose, and as she took her own seat and watched the ballroom fill, Rapunzel delicately took hers in her fingers, avoiding its sharp thorns, and brought it to her nose. Its smell was sweet and like a spring breeze, and it almost immediately calmed her nerves. She had nothing to worry about. It was just a speech. She had addressed her citizens dozens, if not hundreds of times before, and every time she was met with love and support. Pascal squeaked on her shoulder, and she felt a rush of calm come over her.</p><p>When the crowd eventually settled at their seats, excited and eager to partake in the feast, King Frederic stood up, clanging a spoon against his wine glass to draw the crowd into silent attention.</p><p>"Good evening, everyone!" Frederic said grandly. "I am so honored to have you all here to celebrate this glorious holiday. It is always a wonderful occasion when the denizens of Corona can come together and celebrate the coming of each spring. Our chefs have prepared a fantastic meal for you, and we encourage you not to be timid; today is the day we welcome a new season, so gorge yourself to your heart's content. Also, we would like to share the positive news that our engineers are hard at work, and our water heater should be fixed by tomorrow morning!"</p><p>The crowd nodded amicably at that news. King Frederic paused for a moment to soak up the atmosphere, and then finished his speech succintly.</p><p>"Before we begin, however, my daughter, Princess Rapunzel, would like to say a few words to you. I hope everyone hear listens well to what this wonderful Princess has to say."</p><p>He turned the room over to Rapunzel, and she took a deep breath. Time to do this. She calmly stood up from her seat and gazed out into the crowd of hundreds. They were all staring at her, judging her, and her sight might have been deceiving her, but she could have sworn that they were eyeing her hungrily like sharks, waiting for her to flounder and fail. She felt her throat tighten, and suddenly, every single word that she had written down beforehand, each syllable she practiced over and over again so she wouldn't mispronounce all fled from her memory like birds soaring freely in the air. She stood there in total silence, unsure of what to do, and even though not even a second had passed in real life, she felt like she had been standing there for an eternity. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Couldn't feel. Like she was suffocating. Suffocating. Suffocating…</p><p>And then, she glanced to her side. Far away, on the other side of the room, standing by one of the entryways, was Eugene, smiling encouragingly at her. Their eyes met, and that was all it took. She looked down at the rose resting gently between her fingers, and then she gazed back over the crowd and smiled. How could she forget? She was Rapunzel—she didn't need to memorize her speeches.</p><p>"Friends, family, people of Corona," she began confidently. "We are so honored that you could come here today and spend this time with us. On this day, we traditionally celebrate the coming of spring and the flowers that bloom within the Kingdom. We celebrate the wonders that our world has to offer, and we cherish that we may partake in those wonders together. This year, however, is different. This Day of the Rose represents more than just the start of a new season, or the blooming of a new flower. Today is the start of a new era in Corona. Over the past few years, our Kingdom has faced struggles like it hadn't seen in centuries. We battled storms, usurpers, and threats beyond anything we could have imagined. It's gotten a little crazy, to say the least. Yet, through it all, because of your hard work and your courage, we are still standing here, stronger and more united than ever. We overcame. We survived."</p><p>She saw the crowd murmur in approval, and she carried on. "This Kingdom, like the seasons, has gone through a period of change. We've learned to adapt and grow and sometimes fight to hold onto the things that are precious to us. I know that all of you have had to make changes recently for the sake of Corona, and I also know that not everything has gone as perfectly as we have hoped. And like all things, change can sometimes be scary, and unpleasant and can come unexpectedly. There was a point in my life where I was so afraid of change that I literally refused to leave my tower. But…" She looked back over to Eugene, and her heart swelled. "I know now more than ever that changes can also be <em>beautiful</em>. It can bring things into your life that you never even dreamed of. Without change, we would never get the arrival of spring. We would never get to experience so much that the world has to offer. And so, I say, at the dawn of this new era of Corona, let us embrace whatever changes might be in store for us. Whatever new challenges may come, whatever new foes threaten our land, whatever new doubts may come to us, let us remember that as long as we find strength in each other, and as long as we hold onto hope, we can embrace that change. We will be ready to march on and shine as brightly as the sun."</p><p>Rapunzel raised her flower to the sky, and inspired by her words, the crowd of hundreds moved to do the same.</p><p>"To Corona!" Rapunzel shouted.</p><p>"To Corona!" the crowd cried in joyful return.</p><p>"To its people!"</p><p>"To its people!"</p><p>"And to the Day of the Rose!" Rapunzel said proudly, "and to all the changes that it—"</p><p>The smile dropped suddenly from her face, and all at once, she became deadly still. Her words stopped. The crowd waited for her to finish her sentence, and they kept waiting, staring at her, confused as to why she cut herself off before her end. A few of the rowdier guests tried finishing the toast regardless, but their petty cheers were quickly overwhelmed by the silence. The Princess just stood there, motionless, her expression completely blank. She did not blink or breathe.</p><p>She just... stood there, holding the bright red rose in her outstretched hand.</p><p>A few concerned whispers broke out amongst the crowd.</p><p>"Is she all right?"</p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>"Why is she standing there?"</p><p>"Is this part of the speech?"</p><p>King Frederic quietly reached over, tugging on his daughter's dress. "Rapunzel? Is everything okay?"</p><p>She did not answer him. She didn't even look at him.</p><p>Queen Arianna leaned over. "Rapunzel? What are you doing? Rapunzel?"</p><p>No response.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>From across the room, Eugene felt his whole body tense up. Something… something was wrong. He kept looking at Rapunzel anxiously, waiting for her to suddenly burst out into a laugh and say that she was just joking around, or admit embarrassedly that she had forgotten the last thing she was going to say, or just finish her sentence and sit back down so they could enjoy the feast. But as the seconds counted on without her moving so much as a muscle, his heart beat in his chest. She was a statue, like she was frozen in time or lost in a trance. The crowd's whispers started to grow louder, and he looked toward the King and Queen for answers on what he should do, but they had none themselves. All they could do was sit and watch as their daughter stood lifelessly in front of them, dull and still.</p><p>Until, that was, she finally said something, her words mellow, empty.</p><p>"Wither and decay."</p><p>Eugene's racing heart skipped a beat. No… it couldn't be…</p><p>"End this destiny."</p><p>Her expression was unchanged. Her voice almost mute. But she kept speaking.</p><p>"Break these earthly chains. And set the spirits free."</p><p>Rapunzel's hand squeezed tightly around the rose's stem, and raw tears suddenly started to flow freely down her cheeks like waterfalls. Despite her tears, her face didn't move, and she continued staring straight out into the crowd as she continued stating the cursed incantation over and over again.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>The crowd's chatter erupted, and Eugene stopped caring about his guard duties and rushed up to the head table. He leaped over the tables in his way and dodged past the royal guests until he made his way to the head of the room, moving as fast as his feet could carry him. He immediately grabbed his wife by the shoulders and shook her gently.</p><p>"Hey, Rapunzel, what's going on? Rapunzel?" he asked worriedly. He looked into her eyes; they were glossed over, distant and unresponsive. The chant continued.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>She squeezed the rose even tighter, and as the thorns pierced her skin, a gentle trickle of blood started to pour from beneath her grip, running down her wrist. The wounds didn't phase her in the slightest. The King stood up, his usual stoic posture fading quickly.</p><p>"Eugene, what's going on?"</p><p>"I don't know," Eugene said fearfully. "Rapunzel, can you hear me?"</p><p>She didn't respond. He didn't understand—that stupid incantation was something he never thought they would have to worry about again. Why was she saying it? Was the Moonstone back? No, that was <em>impossible.</em> The Moonstone was gone, reunited with the Sundrop and blasted into space. It couldn't hurt them anymore. Her hair and eyes hadn't changed either, both their usual shades of brown and green. The Stone wasn't controlling her, so what was happening? He reached up to touch her face, and he recoiled at its temperate: cold as ice. The hand on her skin seemed to trigger something within her, and her face suddenly contorted in agony, and her breathing became short and heavy as the incantation picked up its pace.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>Eugene grabbed her by the shoulders again, desperate not to hurt her, but trying whatever he could to get her attention.</p><p>"Blondie, I don't know what's going on, but you need to snap out of it, okay?"</p><p>She let out a pained gasp, continuing her chant through her choking sobs.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>She was shaking, trembling from the sorrow or the cold, or from something else entirely. The crowd's worries had turned into a fervor, and a few of them were clamoring up to get toward the Princess, concerned for her safety. Frederic ordered them back, and suddenly the other guards stepped between the crowd and the King's table, and in a matter of moments a near panic broke out amongst the dinner guests. Arianna brought her hands on her lips, the moment becoming too much for her. Eugene couldn't let himself pay attention to any of that. Rapunzel was crying in broken, pained sobs, and her tears had fallen off her cheeks and had started to stain her dress, and she was struggling to get the words out through her cries, but she kept repeating them, again and again and again, like some entity had reached into her mouth was forcibly pulling the words off of her tongue.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free. Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free. Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit—"</p><p>And then, something happened. For half a moment, something flashed beneath her skin, and suddenly, a massive gash opened up on her right cheek, flowing beneath her eye down the path of her tears. The scar was blue and alive with energy, and Eugene jumped back in shock as it rippled across her otherwise perfect features. For those nearby who had seen it, their reaction was much of the same, stunned by the unexplainable wound on the Princess's face. The mark caused Rapunzel to snap back to life, and with a sudden gasp, she stopped chanting and looked at Eugene. Their gaze lasted for only a moment, but he could practically read every single thought that crossed through her mind. Pain. Shock. Embarrassment. Confusion. Misery. But there was something else that he read that stunned him. Tear-stained and confused, there was something in her green eyes that he could never remember seeing in her before: pure, undeniable <em>fear</em>.</p><p>Rapunzel's eyes rolled back into her head, and then she collapsed into Eugene's arms.</p><p>More panic erupted amongst the crowd, and a shouting match broke out between the King, the other guards, and the citizenry. It was impossible to make out the specifics of their worry and confusion, and as they verbally battled each other, Eugene just stood at the table, holding his unconscious wife in his arm, petrified and desperate to know what had just happened to the woman he loved. He held her as closely as he could, protecting her from whatever unseen monster had just attacked her. He held her so close that he didn't even notice that the rose she was holding had fallen from her hand and landed on the floor beneath them. If he had, he would have seen that it had turned grey and dead.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Wrong Note</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel wakes up with no memory of the previous day, and she and her family struggle to find answers about her new mysterious condition.</p>
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<p></p><div class="xcontrast">
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<p></p><div><p>The first thing she heard was Eugene's voice. "Rapunzel? Can you hear me?"</p><p>Everything was blurry and dark, and her limbs felt like they were made of stone. She groaned, trying to get up, but her body wouldn't move no matter how hard she willed it. She heard more voices from far away, echoing from all directions.</p><p>"She's finally waking up."</p><p>"Thank goodness."</p><p>"What do we do?"</p><p>Eugene's voice was the clearest, directly in front of her, guiding her out of whatever darkness she found herself trapped in. She could feel the sluggishness fade away, and the room became brighter ever-so-slowly, and she could start to finally make out the faces of the many friends who had gathered around her.</p><p>It was right around then that the pain suddenly hit her.</p><p>Her cheek was on fire. Literally. That was the only possibility given how much it hurt her. Like fire and flame boiling away her skin. She instinctively tried to reach up to grab it, but her arms were still heavy and she couldn't move. Maybe that was for the best; even the slightest flinch or grimace sent shockwaves through her body, like someone was jamming hot coals into her face. A part of her knew that she needed to just lay there, completely still, but her rebellious spirit told her to fight through whatever agony she was experiencing. She forced herself to sit up, but before she could move, she felt a hand against her chest, gently pressing her back down.</p><p>"Easy, Blondie. You don't want to be moving."</p><p>The world finally came into view, and she saw Eugene hovering over her, his eyes betraying a worry that was hidden by his encouraging, loving smile. Her parents were standing behind him, watching her carefully, and though her view was limited, she could see the faces of Lance, Angry, Catalina, Varian and his father, the guards, the maids—everyone in the castle it seemed. They all looked deeply concerned, and in addition to that, she could feel Pascal pacing circles on her stomach, scared for his best friend's safety. She was in her bed, but she might as well have been lying on nails for how uncomfortable she was. She tried to speak, but she immediately felt a soreness in her throat, and all that came out was a pained groan.</p><p>Eugene sighed. "Or… speaking. Don't try speaking either."</p><p>Rapunzel, never one to be held down, tried again, focusing more to force out something resembling a sentence.</p><p>"What… happened?"</p><p>"It's all right, Rapunzel," her mother said calmly. "You're better now."</p><p>"Better?" Pete said, confused. "I don't think I'd describe her as better, Your Highness. I think she—"</p><p>"Pete, not now," the Queen said sternly, and the guard wisely shut up before he could say another thing he wasn't meant to.</p><p>Rapunzel winced, trying her best to ignore the searing pain on her freckled cheek. "Why am I here? Why are <em>you</em> here?"</p><p>"Blondie, do you remember what happened at the Dinner of the Rose?" Eugene asked carefully.</p><p>"The Dinner… of the Rose?"</p><p>Rapunzel thought back on her day. It was a struggle, but eventually the memories came back to her in bits and pieces. There was the breakfast with the foreign royals, opening a bakery, chasing a goat, giving CPR to a Prince, and then there was the pastry platter almost-disaster, and then she gave her speech and—</p><p>Rapunzel gasped, sitting upright with a burst of energy coming from nowhere. The others in the room were startled by her sudden return to life, but all their attempts to calm her down were met with resistance.</p><p>"Oh no!" Rapunzel said worriedly. She clenched her fists in frustration, and the pain became nothing more than an afterthought. "I passed out during my speech, didn't I? Argh, I knew I was getting dehydrated from running around all day!" Her cheeks were flushed as she began running through the consequences of what must have occurred. Passing out like that was so unlike her. She could only have imagined everyone's panic and concern for her, but even worse than that was the embarrassing stain it would leave on Corona. That dinner was important, and she couldn't believe she was so careless as to not properly take care of herself beforehand. They would have to make it up by throwing an even more spectacular celebration next year.</p><p>However, as Rapunzel quietly ranted to herself, she soon noticed that no one else seemed to be agreeing with her. In fact, they were all staring at her like she had suddenly regrown her seventy feet of magic hair. She paused and stared back at them, and then nervously smiled. "Um… that is what happened. Right?"</p><p>Eugene looked unsure of himself. Rapunzel didn't like it. Was he hiding something from her? They were supposed to be past the point of keeping secrets.</p><p>"Rapunzel," he said slowly, "are you sure you don't remember <em>anything</em> else from that day?"</p><p>Anything else? The truth was that it was all a blank space in her brain. She shrugged, trying to play it off cool. "I'm… assuming that I hit my face on the way down and got a concussion?"</p><p>The others exchanged worried glances, and Rapunzel very quickly realized that something else was wrong. Something they weren't sure how to explain to her. She had to be correct. It was the only logical explanation. That was why her cheek hurt, after all. She reached up and gently touched her face, but instead of her skin, she felt the rough exterior of an adhesive bandage taped onto her wound. The injury singed her even by touching the bandage, and her smile crawled away back to the dark place it was hiding.</p><p>And wait a second. <em>That</em> day? They meant yesterday, right? How long had she been out?</p><p>Eugene gently rested his hand on top of hers and took a deep breath as he readied an explanation. "Rapunzel, you might need to brace yourself."</p>
<hr/><p>Cassandra stared at her breakfast like it was her mortal enemy. She had ordered far too many eggs and a trillion extra slices of toast, overly confident in her stomach's ability to digest it all. Considering the day she had ahead of her, she knew she needed the energy, but now she was running the risk of becoming lethargic. At least the innkeeper's chef had the wisdom to put on salt. Lots of it.</p><p>Making one's own destiny required a lot more busywork than one would think. Not that Cassandra was complaining. A long time ago, she would have taken the fact that she hadn't already achieved glory and used it to fuel her rage. That was the old Cassandra; a far worse Cassandra. Now, she took her laborious tasks in stride. Stopping through nearby villages and helping out with whatever tasks needed to be done. Hunting down packs of wolves that were terrorizing farmers and their livestock. Running scouting missions. Tracking down crooks. She did whatever she could get her hands on, and even though she had no real endgame, she was perfectly content for the moment to wander around the Seven Kingdoms and lend a hand in whatever way she could. If that was her destiny, then so be it. As long as it was making the world better, it was a destiny to be proud of.</p><p>But destiny required energy, and so she forced down another bite of eggs and toast even if she knew she shouldn't, shuddering as she swallowed it.</p><p>The inn she was staying at was in the middle of nowhere, as per usual. She would be staying at somewhere far fancier if she had the opportunity. There was no one else in the inn in the early morning, leaving its wooden dining room mostly abandoned, save for the dirt and grime that seemed to coat every square inch of every table and a pair of scarred-up hooligans that occupied some seats on the far side of the room. They made no effort to keep their conversation quiet, and Cassandra couldn't help but listen in. She told herself that it was accidental eavesdropping, but really, she had caught wind of more than a few criminal schemes by keeping her ears open in backwater areas like the one she was in. It always paid to be alert.</p><p>"And then they said she just collapsed right then and there," said one.</p><p>"Really? Right in front of everyone?" asked the other with a laugh.</p><p>"Yeah, just went out like a fire in the night," said the first. "I tell ya: Women are fragile things. Especially the wealthy ones. Always so pampered that they blow over at the first sign of trouble."</p><p>"I don't know. I thought this girl was supposed to be pretty tough. To have something like that happen is pretty weird, don't you think?"</p><p>"Well, she's a princess. What do you expect? They're all a bunch of good-for-nothing brats."</p><p>Cass couldn't help but smile at the comment. Princesses? Pampered? If they only knew how wrong they were. Sure, there were plenty of Princesses out there who would faint at the sound of a sarcastic comment, and she had to admit that hearing stories about royals falling off their pedestals still gave her some dark laughs. But those boys needed to be careful about making assumptions. The cost of underestimating a Princess was a severe one.</p><p>"Oh, don't tell me like you wouldn't crawl into bed with a Princess at the first opportunity."</p><p>"Are you kidding? The things I'd do to a Princess. Though she'd never go for my ugly face."</p><p>"You do have an ugly face. But aint she supposed to be sweet towards ugly folk like us?"</p><p>"Yeah, she's a weird one. Real quirky. But that's what spending your life locked in a tower will do to ya."</p><p>Cassandra was mid-bite when she heard that last part, and she almost choked on her eggs, sputtering and coughing as she pounded on her chest to force the food down. The conversation ceased, and the two goons glared at her from across the room as she tried to steady herself. That... that couldn't be. They weren't talking about <em>her</em>? When she finally relearned how to breathe, she pushed herself away from her breakfast and stormed across the room towards the very confused and concerned hooligans. She towered over them, temper unkempt as she pounded her fist down on the table.</p><p>She sneered. "What were you two saying about a Princess collapsing?"</p>
<hr/><p>Rapunzel didn't know how to take the news with anything but a confused bluster.</p><p>"<em>Two days</em>?" she cried, barely able to stop herself from bounding off the bed. "That all happened two days ago?"</p><p>"Rapunzel, please, lie back down," Eugene pleaded. She was hardly listening. The truth cracked through her like a thunderbolt, sending shockwaves of energy through her. It was all so much to take in at once. The Incantation, the emotional outburst, the strange scar that supposedly rested underneath the bandage on her cheek. The questions that emerged scratched at her skull. What was causing the scar? Why was she saying the Decay Incantation and why did it return her to the trance it used to put her in? Most frighteningly, why as the Incantation <em>working </em>when she didn't have the power of the Sundrop anymore? That was supposed to be impossible. But despite all of that, the thing that shook her was that she had been lying unconscious in her bed for two days straight. The simple revelation caused the rest of her body's needs to catch up to her, and she felt terribly sore and thirsty. Eugene, sensing her problems, handed her a glass of water that he kept waiting on her nightstand, and he watched as she downed in all in a matter of seconds, not even stopping to breathe.</p><p>"I've… I've missed so much," Rapunzel said in a state of shock, letting the empty glass roll onto her bed. "I was supposed to stop by the school and help teach a lesson to the children, and… and I was supposed to arrange a transport of supplies to Old Corona… oh, no…"</p><p>A half-crescent smile appeared on Eugene's face. He couldn't help it. Even when the whole world seemed to be worrying about Rapunzel, the most important thing on her mind was still what she could do to help everyone else. However. sickly she appeared, no matter how much pain she was in, she never lost her empathy for others.</p><p>"Rapunzel," hushed King Frederic, kneeling by her bedside. "None of that matters. What's important is figuring out what happened to you. How are you feeling right now?"</p><p>Physically or emotionally? Neither was particularly great. She didn't say that, though. "I'm okay. I think," Rapunzel stated. "My cheek hurts and I'm still kind of tired, but I don't feel <em>super</em> terrible." Not only did her cheek hurt, but her hand also stung as well. She was so focused on had happened to her face that she almost didn't see the extra bandages around her palm from when she stabbed herself on the rose's thorns. She didn't remember doing that either, and frankly, it was the lack of awareness during the incident that may have been the most disturbing. Even before when she used the Decay Incantation, she remembered the feeling clearly.</p><p>"Are you feeling sad?" Angry asked, leaning onto the bed with childlike curiosity.</p><p>"You were crying a lot," Catalina noted. "Not just during your speech either. You were crying in your sleep, too."</p><p>"I was?" Rapunzel asked. That couldn't have been good. She didn't even know she was asleep. One moment, she was standing in front of a crowd, and the next, she was on her bed. There were no dreams or nightmares, nothing to react to. It was the same thing from the speech, when she sobbed uncontrollably. Her emotions just overwhelmed her, or at least that was what she assumed given that she couldn't remember a single damn minute of it.</p><p>"Actually, Rapunzel, it's probably best we ask this now," Eugene stated, trying to focus the conversation. "I know you wouldn't say that Incantation willingly, so what <em>did </em>cause you to say it?"</p><p>Rapunzel shook her head. "I have no idea. I don't remember anything after I raised that rose."</p><p>"The rose?" King Frederic pondered. "Could the rose itself have been cursed somehow?"</p><p>"Frederic, do you really think that's what happened?" Arianna said doubtingly. "Our daughter as cursed by a magical flower?"</p><p>It was an absurd idea on paper, but Rapunzel brought a finger to her chin, thinking about it. "Actually, that's not too ridiculous. I mean, we've encountered magic memory wands, hourglasses that transport people through times, spinning tops that turn people into children, mirrors to other dimensions—a rose that triggers strange behaviors in the person who smells it could be the cause. Maybe?"</p><p>Eugene shrugged. "It is worth a shot. It's not like we have anything else to go off of."</p><p>Frederic nodded and pointed sternly to the guards. "Stan. Pete. Retrieve Xavier at once. If anyone knows something about legends and curses, it would be him."</p><p>The guards saluted, standing upright and proud. The King continued dealing out orders. "Varian, Quirin, I want you to run alchemical tests on Rapunzel. See what you can find, especially on that mark on her cheek. Lance, you and the girls can help the rest of the guards keep everyone away from the castle. I want Rapunzel to have as much privacy as she can while we figure this out."</p><p>Rapunzel frowned. "Dad, I think you're overreacting just a tiny bit. This is weird—<em>very</em> weird—but I don't think it's <em>that</em> bad. I mean, I've felt worse."</p><p>"No offense, Rapunzel," Eugene said politely. "But you weren't exactly <em>there </em>to see yourself. That look of pain and fear in your eyes. Whatever is wrong with you, it seems dangerous. I just have a feeling we need to be extra cautious, at least until we can get a better idea of what's happening."</p><p>Rapunzel took Eugene's hand in hers, and gently caressed the ring on his finger with her thumb. "I guess you're right," she acknowledged. She never had been one to be too careful with her own health. Constantly throwing herself into danger, running free out in the wilderness, and fighting ancient demons had proven that. If it was up to her, she would get back to her normal life at once. She could push away the sluggishness and the pain if she needed to, and get her happily ever after back on track. But she wasn't just living for herself, and if lying in bed for a few days in sickly misery for a few days was the price to pay for her family's happiness, she could pay it gladly.</p><p>And of course, there as the <em>other </em>reason, the one that none of them felt comfortable fully addressing. The Decay Incantation was extremely powerful. Rapunzel had used it three times, and each time she nearly killed someone. The image of Cassandra's destroyed hand as still fresh in her mind and that was the result of a simple touch. It was bad enough that Rapunzel was injured, but if she was saying the Incantation at random? Not only that, but if it was working again, even in a limited capacity? Rapunzel wasn't just endangered herself. If she had another incident—which for all they knew, she easily could at any moment—she could potentially harm anyone close to her. That was something that was on the backs of all their mind, and it was just another very good reason why Rapunzel needed to be cautious.</p><p>"If you're looking for help, you should also reach out to your father. If this is related to the Moonstone, then I'm sure he will know what's happening," she suggested after a brief hesitation.</p><p>"That's… yes, that's brilliant," Eugene said. He tried his best to remain optimistic, even as fear crept through his spine. "He has to know something."</p><p>"I'm sure he does," Rapunzel said encouragingly. "We could also send word to The Spire, and reach out to people in Vardaros to see if they know any remedies." A million new solutions were coming to her, and slowly but surely, she felt her spirits begin to lift once more. She had made so many friends all over the world in the last three years. She may have been stuck in her bedroom, but she was hardly alone. She noticed the others were still deep in their worry, and she broke out a playful smile to try to lighten the worsening mood. "Hey, what is everyone so upset about? Look at how we're working together. With all of our best efforts, I'm sure we'll find out what's going on in no time, and we'll fix this before we know it. We've been through worse before."</p><p>Eugene sighed, comforted by Rapunzel's infectious energy, even if it was slightly more subdued than normal. "That is true. It's not like we haven't overcome more than our fair share of magical problems."</p><p>"And we always stop it, even if we tend to cut it close," Rapunzel said fondly. "We can make it through this. Whatever this scar or this Incantation is, we'll find a way to undo it and go back to normal. In fact, I'm feeling better every second."</p><p>Rapunzel held her breath and leaned forward. Even as she saw her parents object, she pushed herself back onto her bare feet to stand proudly before them, raising her arms in victory.</p><p>"See? Already standing again!" she declared. Her smile was a little too big to not be forced, and anyone listening closely could hear her wincing in pain. But the simple fact that she could stand on her own two feet was enough to give wings to the others' hope at a time when they desperately needed it. Nothing could break Rapunzel's spirit—not illness or curses or anything in-between. How that girl remained so inspiring in spite of hardship they would never know, but they all knew for certain that if she believed she could pull through, then so could they. She didn't stand for long; aside from the strain on her legs, she did promise that she would take it easy, so she returned to her bed after only a few wobbly seconds. Still, it was long enough for her cheer to pervade the room, and by the time she lowered herself back onto her mattress, the atmosphere was brighter than it was a little earlier.</p><p>"Okay, Rapunzel," her father said anxiously. "We will do our best to get the answers as soon as possible. Does everyone understand what they need to do?"</p><p>"Yessir," came the rousing response from the others.</p><p>"Then let's move out, people. The Princess is counting on us."</p><p>Without another moment to waste, everyone headed out of the room to help Rapunzel the best that they could, their energy and optimism renewed.</p><p>"We have to grab some alchemical supplies from back home," Varian told Quirin. "There are some tests I want to run on that scar."</p><p>"Hopefully, Xavier is in his shop today," Stan mused.</p><p>"How fast can the hot air balloon make it to the Dark Kingdom?" Eugene asked the King.</p><p>Rapunzel was moved by her friends' kindness. They wouldn't waste a moment trying to make her better. She had no idea how she would thank them. Slowly, they filtered out of the room until only her husband and her parents remained behind. Eugene told her that he had to leave to grab supplies to write to his father, but he promised to return to her side with a kiss. Her parents were the last to leave her bedside, despite their objections.</p><p>"You two also need to sleep," Rapunzel reminded them.</p><p>"Are you sure? I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone," Queen Arianna said, holding onto the King nervously.</p><p>"I won't be alone. I'll have Pascal and Eugene by me," Rapunzel explained. The little lizard immediately ran up to Rapunzel's shoulder and gave a salute to the royal couple, and after a few more nervous glances, they were willing to part ways with their daughter, if only on the condition that they would check up on her every two hours. Rapunzel had thought she was long past constant mothering, but given the circumstances, she gladly accepted their proposal. When Eugene safely returned with quill, ink and an unnecessarily large stack of papers, the King and Queen wished their daughter a good recovery and took off toward their chambers, Arianna blowing her daughter a kiss goodnight as Frederic closed the door behind them.</p><p>Eugene dropped the stack of papers by Rapunzel's bed, and Rapunzel and Pascal eyed it suspiciously despite her husband's overconfidence.</p><p>"You know you only need to write three sentences," she said with a smirk.</p><p>"I don't do a lot of letter writing. My penmanship—unlike my swordsmanship—is absolutely atrocious," Eugene claimed. "I'm going to need some trial-and-error."</p><p>"Well, I'll help you out," Rapunzel said, taking hold of Eugene's hand once more. It still amazed her after all those years how perfectly they seemed to fit together. Pascal ran down her opposite arm, and she outstretched her bandaged palm for him to nestle into. He looked at the paper excitedly, and Rapunzel lovingly rolled her eyes. "Fine. <em>We'll </em>help you out. Although I don't know how good his handwriting is, either."</p><p>"The frog? I'm sure it's just terrific," Eugene groaned.</p><p>They laughed and let themselves forget about Rapunzel's condition. If she was going to survive, she needed plenty of moments like that one, holding the two most important people in the world to her in her arms, staying positive, enjoying their time together. She had no idea what the next day would bring, or what their tests would uncover, but with each passing second, as her strength grew and her spirits rose, she was more and more confidant she would live through it. She had finally gotten her happy ending, and there was no chance some dumb Incantation was going to take it all away from her. Eugene took the first sheet of paper he saw, and she wondered how on earth he was going to write neatly on such an uneven surface. He needed a desk. Or a clue.</p><p>"So, Blondie, how do you want to start the letter?" Eugene asked with a grin.</p><p>"Probably the way all letters start," Rapuznel stated. "Dear—"</p><p>"<em>Rapunzel, stop."</em></p><p>Wait, what?</p><p>"<em>Rapunzel… please… you have to stop…"</em></p><p>Was someone saying something?</p><p>"<em>Rapunzel… no…"</em></p><p>Rapunzel blinked, and suddenly the room was quiet and cold. She hadn't moved a muscle, but something felt off. Different somehow. Everything was just a little bit darker. Like time had come and gone without her realizing it. Her cheeks were wet and her scar burned with renewed energy, and suddenly so did her hands. She looked down at them, and her eyes went wide.</p><p>In her palm, Pascal lay still. Unmoving. Eyes half-open. Nearly dead.</p><p>Next to her bed, Eugene was slumped over. Unconscious. Pale. Weak. His hand was still locked firmly inside of hers, but its color—and the color of the rest of his arm—had turned almost black.</p><p>And then there were the backs of her hands: covered in brand new scars just like the one on her cheek, radiating a brilliant blue.</p><p>Rapunzel's screams of horror tore through the castle walls like a knife.</p></div></div></div>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Facing the Music</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As Rapunzel struggles to forgive herself for Eugene and Pascal, an old ally returns with a devastating revelation about her condition.</p>
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    <p>Rapunzel could barely concentrate on the words being spoken to her. </p><p>“Princess, I implore you to remember,” Xavier said sweetly. “Have you come into contact with any spider-shaped medallions?” </p><p>Sider-shaped medallions? Of course, she hadn’t. Just like she hadn’t come in contact with any other mystical item in the past four months. No matter how many times he asked, the answer didn’t change, but he kept asking it over and over and over and over. If she had, wouldn’t they think she’d have told them by this point? Why were they wasting her time with such pointless questions? Why couldn’t they do anything useful?</p><p>It was wrong of her to blame Xavier or her family for doing what they thought needed to be done. She didn’t have any better ideas. But that was why she was so angry. She was stuck without answers in a time where she couldn’t recall being more desperate for them. </p><p>Eugene. Pascal. What had she done? </p><p>When her parents came bursting into the room the day before, they found her in hysterics over their bodies, and she had to be pried away from them as they were dragged away by the guards to get medical care. It was her worst nightmare come to life. Her best friend since childhood and the love of her life: one nearly dead and the other badly injured, all because of her. The doctors could give them no timeframe for a recovery, or even a full prognosis. Eugene’s arm was badly damaged; “rotted” was the word they had used. Rotted? What did that even mean? Numbness? Weakness? Amputation? And they hardly knew what to do with Pascal, having no experience in treating something non-human. They gave him whatever comforts and medicines they could, but he was weak and she heard at least one doctor whisper that he might not make it through the morning. The very thought of it made her want to puke. She couldn’t be without Pascal. Never. He had been the only true family she had for most of her life. She didn’t want to imagine a life without him in it, but in a matter of hours, something that seemed like only a distant probability became a very real, horrifying concern. The worst part was that she still had no idea what happened. It was like she blinked and the world turned upside-down. That Incantation—it was just like that dream said. Once she said the words, it was already too late for her. It was strangling her and everyone around her. And no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t seem to find a way to stop it. </p><p>Varian had returned with the results of his alchemical analysis earlier in the day. He had taken blood, hair samples, measurements of her entire body with equipment she couldn’t identify if she tried and more. He took swabs of the blue scars on her hands, which seared her flesh with every subtle movement she made that she learned to ignore. Her own pain seemed secondary in the face of what she caused to others. The results: nothing out of the ordinary. No foreign chemicals in her blood, no traces of any unknown elements; even the swabs from the blue scars came back like they were nothing more than standard cuts. To say that Varian was baffled was an understatement. He promised Rapunzel that his machines must have been malfunctioning, and as soon as he repaired them, he would be able to get accurate readings and figure out what was wrong with her. She wanted to believe him. She truly did. But all of the hope and optimism that she had the day before had been withered like the rose that died in her hands. </p><p>And then that brought her to Xavier, the wise old man who seemed to know of every legend and fable in Corona’s history. He clearly had to know something. That was the idea. Nothing could confound Xavier’s extensive historical and mystical knowledge. But as the hour progressed, and every question he asked was answered with rejection, it quickly became clear that he would not be the solution that they had all hoped for. </p><p>“So, no spider-shaped medallions,” he mused, scratching his chin. “So, the Black Widow's Legacy is not what’s afflicting you.” </p><p>“Xavier, are you sure you can’t think of anything else?” King Frederic implored him. The old blacksmith sighed, and pushed off the bed as he rose from his knee. </p><p>“I apologize, Your Majesties. My Princess,” he said somberly. “I do not know of anything that can cause these markings to appear on Rapunzel, or cause her to say those cursed words. I wish I could be of more assistance.” </p><p>“That’s quite all right, Xavier,” Queen Arianna told him, remaining cordial even through her hardship. “We appreciate your efforts.” </p><p>“I will scour my readings for anything else of value,” Xavier said determinedly. “If I find something, I will let you know as soon as possible.” </p><p>Xavier left Rapunzel’s room on plodding feet, and Rapunzel felt a pit form in her stomach, a bitter resentment taking over her. That man knew all sorts of worthless things and would tell them to them nonstop, but the second she actually needed something useful, he couldn’t produce a silver secret to save a life. It was pitiful. Stupid. If he was just going to waste their time, he might as well have not even been there. She should have screamed at him instead of letting him go. Kicked him out of the Kingdom herself. </p><p>She shook her head, trying to wipe clean the angry thoughts. No. It wasn’t his fault. Xavier was only trying to help her. He was doing the best he could. She shouldn’t have been upset. She was just on edge, that was all. She was dealing with a lot of pain and loss and confusion. She needed to show some understanding. That was the right thing to do. </p><p>Still... why did she desperately want to punch something? </p><p>“There has to be someone else in Corona who can help,” King Frederic theorized. </p><p>“Have you written to the other Kingdoms?” Queen Arianna inquired. </p><p>“I’ve sent letters on the way, but these things take time, and we don’t know how long we have.” Frederic’s features softened as he turned to his daughter. “Rapunzel, how are you feeling now?” </p><p>Rapunzel’s response was gruff and cold. “The same as when you asked me ten minutes ago.” </p><p>The King and Queen exchanged nervous glances. It was unlike the Princess to respond so crudely. Arianna cleared her throat. “Rapunzel, I know this is hard.” </p><p>“Hard?” Rapunzel said, frustrated. “I <em> hurt </em>  them, Mom. I underestimated this... this  <em> thing </em> for one moment, and I hurt them. That’s more than just hard.” </p><p>Rapunzel rose from her bed, and on shaky legs, she made her way towards her balcony. Her parents chased after her. </p><p>“Rapunzel, stay in bed,” her father ordered. </p><p>“You aren’t well,” said her mother. </p><p>“I can’t just lie there when Eugene and Pascal are hurting because of me,” Rapunzel protested, pushing open the balcony doors and taking in the fresh air as she leaned over the railing to the outside. The spring weather had taken its usual sour turn, and the sky was dull with clouds, ready to start shedding rain like tears at any moment. Rapunzel gripped the decorated wood of her balcony railing until her knuckles went white and the scars on the backs of her hands sizzled, and she took in a deep breath of the afternoon humidity hoping that it would cure her. “I can’t just wait around for Xavier to find more legends or Varian to do more tests. If this is all my fault--” </p><p>“No one is saying this is your fault,” her mother tried to tell her.  </p><p>“But what if it is?” Rapunzel asked fretfully. “That Incantation was something <em> I  </em>said. I said it more than I ever should have. If these are connected--” </p><p>“Rapunzel, please take it easy,” Arianna begged. She reached forward to take Rapunzel’s hand as gently as possible, but the instant their skin made contact, Rapunzel recoiled away from her. </p><p>“Don’t touch me!” she screamed, and the King and Queen both froze, stunned by their daughter’s outburst. Rapunzel held her hand close to her chest, and her deep breaths became quick and unsteady. Her eyes were wide, frantic. The poor thing was petrified. Rapunzel tried to calm herself down, but even as she tried to speak, she could feel the beginnings of sobs form in her throat. “I can’t control this... and I don’t... I don’t want to hurt either of you...” </p><p>She hadn’t cried all day. By some miracle, she had been able to keep the tears down through the endless waiting nightmare that had been the past twenty-four hours. But she knew she was nearing her breaking point, and once she said those words allowed, she realized she was already past it. She was dangerous. She had never wanted to hurt anybody. Even when she fought against thieves and thugs and demons, she never truly wanted to see them suffer. It wasn’t in her nature. But now, suffering <em> was </em> her nature. It was a part of her that she couldn’t separate or control, and she hated it. She hated what she had done to Eugene, to Pascal. What she could do to her parents if she dared try to accept their kindness. </p><p>And the King and Queen? What were they to do but stand there? There were no words that would make anything better. They had never seen their daughter so distressed, and the pain of not knowing what to do only made things worse. When Rapunzel started to cry, it took every ounce of their willpower not to hug her. They could only watch as she draped herself over the balcony and wept silently. </p><p>The three royals stewed in their family misery, when a guard unexpectedly burst through the door to Rapunzel’s bedroom, calling out their names frantically. </p><p>“Your Majesties! Someone has arrived for you!” he screamed, searching the empty room for them. When he heard the call, King Frederic groaned and returned from the balcony, dismissing the guard out of hand. </p><p>“I told you that we aren’t taking unexpected visitors as we deal with Rapunzel,” he said strictly. The guard bowed his head, stuttering nervously. </p><p>“Your Majesty... it’s Adira. She’s come about to see the Princess.” </p><p>Rapunzel was listening from the balcony when she heard that name, and she suddenly felt a small spark of light return to her. Adira? Here? They had sent a letter to the Dark Kingdom asking for help, but that was easily more than a day’s journey even by air. She couldn’t have arrived that quickly. Yet, when Rapunzel slowly made her way back to her bed and several anxious minutes passed by, the guard eventually returned with a woman by his side, as ageless and strong and fierce as ever. Rapunzel almost couldn’t believe her eyes. The mysterious woman was as serious-minded as she had always been, and upon seeing Rapunzel and her parents by her bedside, she didn’t say a single word, merely gazing at them with narrowed eyes. </p><p>Queen Arianna spoke first, clearing her throat. “A-Adira. We weren’t expecting you.” </p><p>“Of course, not,” Adira said simply. “Though to be fair, I doubt you were expecting any of this.” </p><p>At some other time, Rapunzel might have found the comment humorous. This day? Not so much. Adira took a careful step toward Rapunzel, and the Princess immediately shriveled, almost like she was being judged by the stares of the member of the Brotherhood. </p><p>“How... how did you get here so fast?” Rapunzel managed to ask through the remains of her sobs. She hurriedly wiped the last remnants of her tears with her palm, but Adira could still see the redness that lingered in her cheeks. </p><p>“I was already on my way,” Adira stated bluntly. “I was coming to discuss an urgent matter with you. It seems you’ve already learned the hard way.” </p><p>Rapunzel was taken aback. “You know?” </p><p>“Everyone knows. News spreads fast these days,” Adira claimed. She knelt down in front of Rapunzel, holding out her hands expectantly. Her orders were swift and forceful. “Show them to me.” </p><p>Rapunzel flinched and shook her head, terribly confused. “Wait. Just... wait a second. I don’t understand--” </p><p>“Show me your scars,” Adira demanded louder. Rapunzel’s parents remained quiet. They had all the power in the land, but even they knew better than to disobey a direct order from Adira. Rapunzel, however, kept her hands to herself, gripping her bedsheets tightly to make sure she wouldn’t move them. She looked away from Adira in shame, and that response was enough to get Adira to somewhat soften her features. “You aren’t going to hurt me, Rapunzel. I just need to see them.” </p><p>Rapunzel hesitated. The thought of showing her scars made her feel almost naked. But Adira... Adira could be trusted. She was there to help. Of course, she could help. Rapunzel slowly relented, and after a long pause, she held out her hands for Adira to examine. Adira remained stoic as she studied the strange marks. They were unlike anything she had seen before; dry, thick and jagged, wounds not like those of a knife but almost like burn scars imprinted into her skin. They ran from knuckle to wrist, and the slightest flinch caused Rapunzel to wince. Seeing the pain on her face, Adira took careful notice of the bandage covering the one wound Rapunzel let the others touch. </p><p>“I take it the one you got at the dinner is under there?” Adira asked calmly. </p><p>“Yes,” said Rapunzel.  </p><p>“Can I see it?” </p><p>“I...” Rapunzel closed her eyes and suddenly pulled her hands back, snapping in frustration. “Adira, just tell me what’s happening. Please. Why are you here?” </p><p>Adira wasn’t offended by the outburst. At least, she didn’t show that she was. She merely sighed and rose to her feet, quietly pacing to the back of the room with her hands clasped together by her waist. She spoke with emotionless precision. </p><p>“You know that we have been attempting to rebuild the Dark Kingdom,” Adira explained. “Many things were lost when it collapsed a quarter of a century ago. Our people’s history, our culture, it’s legends. All things that fell to the black rocks that we have been trying to piece back together one at a time. Over the past few months, I’ve made it my task to learn as much as I could about the history of the Moonstone and how it shaped our forebears. What I discovered was an entire lineage of lies and cover-ups going back hundreds of years. Rituals. Sacrifices. Things you wouldn’t want to tell your children about. And one of the things I discovered... was related to the Decay Incantation.” </p><p>“So, the Incantation <em> is  </em>behind this?” Rapunzel gasped. The dream: was it true after all? She knew the words were tainted but... it really was the root of her problems. Adira, however, bowed her head. </p><p>“It’s more complicated than that,” she confessed. She paced the room slowly, her tone matching her speed. “We have always known that the Moonstone possessed an incredible power, something far too dangerous to be kept in mortal hands. Over generations, our people have done what they could to contain its strength and keep it out of the reach of people who would use it for evil. But there was always the possibility lingering in our minds. What if someone was able to get their hands on it, gain control of its power? You've fought Cassandra. You know how poorly that can go.” </p><p>Rapunzel grimaced. The memory of her best friend trying to kill her still left a bitter taste in her mouth, one that she would rather forget. Adira continued. “The idea of a failsafe was something that we considered for a long time. The Sundrop was the obvious candidate since it was the Moonstone’s counterpart. But we had always wondered whether or not there was another way to limit the Moonstone’s power. Edmund never gave us the chance to find out. But as it turns out, one of his ancestors had already tried. His great-great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Othella, who reigned two hundred years before him. She had written down a story of her attempt to rein in the Moonstone and the disastrous consequences it brought—and it was <em>that</em> transcript that I discovered a few days ago.” </p><p>“And what did it say?” King Frederic asked impatiently. “Please, Adira, get to the point.” </p><p>Adira recalled the details the best she could. “Queen Othella had long been interested in curses and enchantments. With magic, there was a nearly endless list of possibilities before her. But with the Moonstone, magic was long thought to be impossible to use against it. It was simply too powerful for any spell to counter. One day, however, after many years of scouring the world for answers, a witch came to her door. She called herself Carmine Therasia Navarro de la Sombra, and she claimed that she had a solution to the Queen’s problem. Carmine noted that the Moonstone’s power could only be controlled fully through the use of the two Incantations: one to control black rocks, and the other to decay. As the witch realized, while the Moonstone itself would be resistant to enchantment, the Incantations were merely words. Language itself is nothing but a set of sounds and symbols. If she could place a curse onto the specific, ordered words of the Incantations, the actual sound itself, then they could curse anyone who simply repeated them. They would be able to successfully cut-off the Moonstone’s power without ever touching it or endangering innocents. After all, what were the odds that a random person would say that particular phrase at random? So, they gathered materials for their ritual, and created what they believed would be a tool to stop all those who tried to use the Moonstone’s power: <em> La  </em> <em> Maldición </em> <em>  de la Muerte Azul.  </em>Or, to translate...” </p><p>Rapunzel’s heart dropped in her chest, and as the words came out, she felt another part of her shrivel and go numb. </p><p>“The Curse of Blue Death,” she said breathlessly. </p><p>Adira paused for a moment as the name of the wretched thing afflicting Rapunzel caused the air in room to still, like it had killed the very wind itself. Rapunzel felt something run down the back of her spine, and as Adira continued her explanation, she felt herself leave her body, becoming cold as the truth hit her. </p><p>“<em> La  </em> <em> Maldición </em> <em>  de la Muerte Azul  </em>is a curse that redirects the power from the Decay Incantation inwards,” she stated grimly. “Whenever the words of the Incantation are spoken, instead of withering others, the body itself starts to decay. The speaker is harmed slowly with each repetition of the words. They become frail and weak. Their mind starts to unravel and their memory and reason fade. Their emotional impulses become uncontrollable. The blue scars are remnants of the curse’s power, leaving its permanent mark as it makes its way through you until... until...” </p><p>Adira trailed off, and again: silence. Rapunzel couldn’t move. She was a ghost, barely attached to reality. Her father screamed at Adira to continue, but really, she didn’t have to. The tears were already coming back for all of them. Resentful, hopeless tears. Adira slowly shook her head, and for the first time since she had made her surprising return to the castle, the mysterious women became overcome with sadness, her face contorting as she looked Rapunzel in the eye and told her the truth. </p><p>“I don’t know how long it takes. It could be hours. It could be months. But this curse... it’s not going to stop until it kills you, Rapunzel. I am so sorry.” </p><p>And there it was. Laid bare.</p><p>Rapunzel still couldn’t react. Even hearing those words out loud—it would <em> kill her </em>—couldn't draw anything out of her. Her mother immediately broke down, collapsing into Rapunzel’s lap and sobbing deeply into her dress. The King tried to maintain his composure, to be the rock that his wife and daughter needed, but the news was too much for even him and he couldn’t resist the tears. They had all been through so much together. Eighteen years apart, and even when they were finally reunited, there were always forces trying to pull them apart. They had made it through that. They had survived. It was supposed to be over, and yet despite earning a life of happiness, they were being denied by something beyond any of their control. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all. </p><p>Queen Arianna clutched the fabric of Rapunzel’s dress as she cried. “There... there must be <em> something </em> we can do.” </p><p>“Adira, did you read anything about a counter-curse?” King Frederic asked desperately. “Most curses have a way to undo them. You must have seen something.” </p><p>Adira shook her head, overwhelmed with guilt. “I couldn’t find any notes about a way to undo the curse. After the witch used her magic, she returned suddenly to Madrid back to her coven. She didn’t even curse the black rock spell before she left, and nothing I could find explained why. I doubt there was even an effort to counter the curse anyway, considering how dangerous the Decay Incantation is. They wouldn't want an evil person to find a way to avoid their punishment.” </p><p>“Then maybe you’ve made a mistake,” Frederic pleaded. “Maybe Rapunzel has something different. She isn’t just sick; she has been using the Moonstone’s power, saying the Incantation at random. Was any of that a part of this Blue Death?” </p><p>“I don’t know,” Adira claimed. “The transcripts I found were mostly incomplete. It seems like whatever happened centuries ago was something they wanted to bury. It’s possible that something went wrong along the way, but that’s all just guesswork. I wish I knew more--” </p><p>“Then you should have read more!” King Frederic said furiously, rising to his feet. He approached Adira with rage seared on his face, but she held her ground steady. </p><p>“Frederic, please!” Arianna begged, but her pleads fell on deaf ears.  </p><p>“Silence, Arianna!” Frederic screamed. He turned back to Adira, seething. “You... you come into my Kingdom, half-read and ignorant, and tell me that my daughter is going to die when you yourself cannot prove it. How dare you bring this upon my family.” </p><p>“It’s not her fault,” Arianna cried. </p><p>Adira pursed her lips. “Listen to your wife, Your Majesty. You have every right to be upset, but you know what they say about killing the messenger.” </p><p>“A messenger? Is that all you are?” Frederic sneered. “It was your Kingdom that harnessed the Moonstone. It was your guidance that led Rapunzel to discover that Incantation in the first place.” </p><p>“Your anger is clouding your judgment.” </p><p>“You and your people have brought nothing but misery onto my family!” </p><p>“If you want to step outside...” </p><p>Without warning, Rapunzel stood up and roared, clenching her fists. </p><p>“Both of you: stop it!” </p><p>Her father and Adira stopped arguing at once. Queen Arianna looked up at her daughter from the floor, almost fearful. Rapunzel was no longer haunted; staring into her eyes, they could see that she was far from it. She was as stable as the castle wall, not so much as quivering as she stood under her own power. Her brow was furrowed, and she spoke with more determination and drive than any of them had heard from her since this new nightmare began. </p><p>“I'm going to Madrid.” </p><p>Her simple question was like an earthquake. </p><p>“What?” her father asked, startled. </p><p>“Adira, you said that the witch who made this curse—Carmine Therasia Navarro de la Sombra—you said she returned to her coven in Madrid, right?” </p><p>“Rapunzel, that was hundreds of years ago,” Adira said, not understanding. “The witch is long gone. She can’t help you.” </p><p>“But her coven might still be there,” Rapunzel reasoned. “There might be someone there who knows about her work. If we can find that, we may be able to figure out a way to cure this.” </p><p>“We have no way of knowing if that’s true, though. And even if it was, we can’t all head to Madrid,” the King stated. “Even by balloon, that’s a week’s journey. You might not even have a week to... to...” </p><p>“Then I’ll head there alone,” Rapunzel said with a shrug. Her mother stood up, terrified by the suggestion. </p><p>“Rapunzel, you can barely stand!” she pleaded. </p><p>“I can stand if I need to,” Rapunzel said. Her feet were firmly planted, but not matter how confidently she spoke, her mother knew that she could fall at any moment. Her father reached for her. </p><p>“I know you are concerned,” Frederic said, trying to calm his daughter down. “We can send a party out tomorrow morning to search for answers if we must, but in your condition, there is no chance you are leaving this castle.” </p><p>“But I have to go,” Rapunzel said passionately, pulling away from him. “This is my curse. I have to be the one who finds the answers.” She stammered for a moment, and then when she realized her argument was failing, she quickly added, “And you heard Adira: I may not even have a week. Sending someone else might take too long. If there is a cure--” </p><p>“You are not leaving this castle, young lady,” Frederic said sternly. “You are sick and in no condition to travel. If you have another spell where you blackout or say the Incantation, we won’t be able to get you help. The best thing for you to do is stay and bed and--” </p><p>“And do what? <em>Die </em> ?” Rapunzel said, and her father’s anger broke. A heavy despair washed over the room like a tidal wave. Saying it out loud like that was like accepting it, and Rapunzel felt something weigh her down like the pull of gravity, a confession and acknowledgment that her fate really was as Adira claimed. She threw her arms down by her side, her heart pounding relentlessly in her chest as her emotions took over. “I can’t just stay here and accept this. I know you want to protect me, but I am not going to spend the final days of my life stuck here rotting in my bed waiting for someone else to save me. This was all <em>my </em>fault. Eugene and Pascal were <em>my </em>fault. I’m the only one that can set this right. If this curse is really going to kill me, then I have to at least <em>try </em>to go out on my own terms. Even if it's by myself.” </p><p>Her father had no response. What could he possibly say to that? He wasn’t expecting such resistance, and Rapunzel spoke so passionately that it was almost like her pain had evaporated away completely. Arianna stared at Rapunzel with a strange mixture of pity and awe, and she too was stricken silent by her daughter’s desperate plea. However, while they were stuck looking for a way to respond to her, Adira had maintained her composure throughout, and when she spoke, it was with finality. </p><p>“Rapunzel. You are staying put.” </p><p>Rapunzel was flabbergasted, turning to the warrior woman with her face beet red. “What?”</p><p>Of all people to agree with her father, it was Adira? The same Adira that encouraged her to go out into the world and fulfill her destiny. That same Adira was telling her to lay down and die? But when Adira continued, there wasn’t any malice in her voice. No condescension. There were only facts, simple and true yet still painful to hear. </p><p>“You aren’t thinking clearly,” Adira stated bluntly. “The curse doesn’t just wither your body; it also affects your mind. Your logical processes. Your rationality. You are dealing with too many emotions to see this reasonably.” </p><p>“And what exactly<em> is </em> the reasonable way to see this?” Rapunzel dared her to answer, her entire body heaving. </p><p>“That you are a time bomb,” Adira stated. “That the longer this goes on, you will get weaker and weaker and you’ll start to make incredibly terrible decisions. You’ll be out in a foreign land, away from anyone who can help you, wandering in delusions around the continent. And not only would you be endangering yourself, but with the Decay Incantation active and you chanting it and pure random? You will be a threat to literally everyone you come across. The safest thing for not just you, but for the whole world, is for you to stay isolated in your bedroom until we can find a cure. I’m sorry that you have to hear that.” </p><p>Rapunzel backed toward her bed fearfully. She closed her eyes, trying to fight it. “No... I can’t...” </p><p>King Frederic sighed. “Adira is right, Rapunzel. We will do everything in our power to undo this curse, but you cannot play a part in this. We can’t take any more risks.” </p><p>“Dad, please,” Rapunzel begged. Her resilience was fading. Fading fast. Replaced by guilt and misery and every conceivable stage of grief. “You can’t just keep me trapped here while this <em>thing </em>is a part of me. That’s not fair.” </p><p>“I know it’s not,” Frederic said regretfully. Queen Arianna gently approached Rapunzel from behind and took her by the arm, facing little struggle as she guided Rapunzel back to her bed. </p><p>“This would be for the best,” her mother said, still trembling from the news of the curse. “You can stay here with us, Eugene and Pascal. We’ll make sure you get everything you need until we can find a counter-curse.” </p><p>Rapunzel sat on the edge of her bed, guided by her mother’s hand, and she felt more dead inside than she had all week. She knew what they were saying to her. On some base level, she understood. They just wanted to protect her like they always had. But with every moment that passed by doing nothing, she felt herself withering inside. She felt her hopelessness growing. It could have been weeks before they found anything, if they found anything at all. And what if they didn’t? Was that going to be the rest of her short life, confined to her bed, shuddering weakly as her life faded with the passing hours? Crying and screaming in desperation for someone to save her that would never come? Seperated from Eugene and Pascal, never to see them again? Was that going to be how Princess Rapunzel died? Her father continued speaking to Adira, but she was no longer a factor in their plans. She was a non-entity. A thing. It didn’t matter if her imprisonment drove her to insanity; they would keep her locked up in her room in the name of keeping her safe. She tuned them out before she could make out any of the details, their chatter becoming white noise. Was Adira offering to journey to Madrid for her? Was he pulling more details about <em> La  </em> <em> Maldición </em> <em>  de la Muerte Azul  </em>out of her? Did it even matter? </p><p>And then, it clicked for her.</p><p>Of course, it mattered. Why was she giving up hope? She had received a death sentence, a seemingly incurable illness that could kill her and everyone she cared about. But she had fought off demons before, threats far more powerful than that. She wasn’t going to be their prisoner. She wasn’t going to sit like a dog and let it kill her so easily. She had fought to get her happily ever after, and she would be damned if she wasn’t going to do everything in her power to keep it. Her mother tried to comfort her, but Rapunzel wasn’t paying attention; her gaze was transfixed upon the door that opened to her balcony, and the endless grey sky that stretched beyond it. Her gaze narrowed as she looked out to the clouds, to the freedom that awaited just past the stone walls. They thought they had her trapped and confined. Just like in her tower. But they were wrong. She was going to get out of that castle. She was going to find that coven and uncover the secrets of the Curse of Blue Death. She was going to cure herself, and Eugene, and Pascal, and she was going to take her life back from the Incantation's clutches. Her parents wanted to her to stay. They wanted her to wait. They wanted her to go quietly.</p><p>Rapunzel shook her head. Like hell she would. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading. We know that these have been very introductory-level, exposition-heavy chapters, but the plot will start ramping up very quickly, and we hope you've enjoyed some of the worldbuilding elements we are trying to add.</p><p>Also, we are ninety percent confident that Spain exists in the Tangled universe. The series both explicitly mentions Italy and Mozart by name, so the Tangled universe is our universe. We assume Corona is on an island somewhere by the UK? Where everyone speaks perfect American English? Also, since this is post-Mozart, does that mean guns exist? Is George Washington alive? Since this is a Disney product and Hamilton is on Disney+, does that mean Rapunzel can participate in that musical?</p><p>Look this story is pretty heavy. Theorizing like this is some of the only fun we can have. We hope to update again soon. Thank you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Breaking High</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cassandra returns to Corona. Rapunzel takes a risk that can cost her everything.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for being patient with updates. We are juggling writing three wildly different stories right now, so our update schedule is going to be very weird. We hope you stick with this story though, especially as it develops further. We really plan on leaning in heavily to the Rapunzel/Cassandra dynamic, so that's something we hope you will enjoy. Also, we are giving a heads-up now, but some of our writing can get known to get kind of intense. We are hoping to mostly avoid that this story, but if anything ever gets to be too much, just tell us and we'll try to make sure it gets toned down. Thank you, and enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cassandra told herself that she would never come back to Corona.</p><p>It took so much to pull away. Rapunzel said that she was understanding. She said she supported Cassandra’s need to go out and find her destiny on her own. But Cassandra could see the look of betrayal hidden behind those kind green eyes, even as Rapunzel told her that she loved her. Rapunzel was never convinced that it didn’t have to be this way, and maybe in some other lifetime, it wasn’t. Maybe she really could have stayed behind.</p><p>But life wasn’t full of simple choices. Life was about moving on, and Cassandra tried her best to move on. She tried to keep her thoughts forward through every town she visited, every small deed she carried out. She could be strong without them, she thought. She could manage. And yet, she would be lying if she said that memories of Corona’s warmth didn’t help her fall asleep at night. It was the place she called home for her entire life—or at least, the parts of her life that she cared to remember.</p><p>And now, a little over four months after she swore to go out and explore the world, she found herself racing on Fidella’s back down the familiar woodland path leading to the sunny Kingdom. All because of one small story about a friend in need.</p><p>She was ashamed of herself, not least because she had no idea if the story was even true. It was a secondhand story of a secondhand story, told by less than reputable characters, full of details that could be considered hazy at best. She knew that <em>something </em>had happened to Rapunzel at a dinner party; they described it to her as, quote, “The Princess chanted something about dying and then turned blue and passed out.” That wasn’t a lot to go on, and quite frankly, after all of the crazy things she and Rapunzel had been through together on their adventures, there was no reason she should have been worried. Well, worried more than usual. Rapunzel probably just touched some magic book and was slowly turning into a giant blueberry or something, and common sense told her that by the time she arrived, everything would have already been solved, and she would have been the desperate, anxious friend who couldn’t stop worrying long enough to do the one thing she had promised herself was the most important thing to do. Everything was going to be fine, so there was no reason why she needed to abandon her destiny, which was why she felt so stupid as she told Fidella to go faster.</p><p>But still… something in the back of her mind told her that she needed to return. Some strange intuition that she couldn’t put her finger on. There was something about the ruffians’ story that just felt <em>off</em> to her, and if there really was something more seriously wrong with Rapunzel, then she knew that she couldn’t just abandon her completely. Checking in wouldn’t hurt. And she could have sent Owl to do it, but she convinced herself that he would simply return to her with a letter from Rapunzel, telling her that everything was fine and that Cassandra needn’t worry about her, and that it was great speaking to her and blah blah blah. Rapunzel was too sweet to worry Cassandra even if there was something wrong. She needed to see it in person. That’s what she told herself.</p><p>The sun had long set by the time Cassandra came over the grassy hill and stared out toward the water. The weather had long turned sour. She had to ride through several brutal nights, but she finally made it. She was home. Cassandra took a nervous breath, and with a snap of the reins, she steered Fidella toward the Kingdom of the Sun.</p><hr/><p>When night fell, the thin layer of grey clouds turned into a thunderstorm.</p><p>Heavy rains pounded on Rapunzel’s window as she lay in her bed, wide awake. She couldn’t sleep even if she had wanted to due to the scars searing her flesh, but in a sense, that was a good thing. The pain kept her alert. It kept her ready. Occasionally, beneath the crack of thunder, she could hear the guards talking to themselves outside her bedroom door. They were trying to keep each other awake. It was crucial that no one intruded on Rapunzel during her sickness, and even more importantly, it was vital that the Princess didn’t leave her chambers under any circumstances.</p><p>But she was Rapunzel. They should have known better than to think simple doors could hold her.</p><p>Her first thought was to go out the window, but she quickly faced two problems. First: there was a torrential downpour outside her window, and in all likelihood, she would just slip and fall to her death before she even made it halfway down the tower. Second: she didn’t exactly have a way of safely getting down the tower in the first place. A year ago, she could have just tied her hair around a post and rappelled down safely, but she was short on hair at the moment. Having hair that didn’t go past her shoulders had its benefits—losing the extra pounds did wonders for her neck—but it was a lot less practical when trying to be adventurous. In short, the window was out of the question. She would have to go out the door, which led to the problem of getting around the guards. Or it would have been a problem, had she not done it a thousand times before.</p><p>She gently pushed open the door, overhearing the remnants of Stan and Pete’s conversation.</p><p>“I just think the trumpet has more of a chance to shine,” Pete said persistently.</p><p>“That’s why we should increase the trombone’s volume,” Stan argued. “Every trombone-trumpet duet has the trumpet playing the melody. Why can’t the trombone get a chance?”</p><p>“Because the trumpet plays higher and that makes it the lead—” Pete stopped himself when he noticed himself being watched awkwardly from behind the frame of the door. “Oh. Hi, Princess? Is everything okay?”</p><p>Stan muttered under his breath. “We know she’s not <em>okay</em>, Pete.” He must have assumed that Rapunzel didn’t hear him, but even though she did, she buried that pain deep and smiled gently at him.</p><p>“I’m fine, thank you,” she said politely.</p><p>“Hey, Princess, while you’re here,” Pete said, “can you settle a musical debate we’re having? We are trying to write a duet, but Stan here thinks that he should get the lead part, even though he has the baritone instrument.”</p><p>“Low brass needs to shine,” Stan stated with bravado.</p><p>“Not when it contradicts musical theory!”</p><p>Rapunzel sighed warmly. “I would love to help. But—” She coughed suddenly, making sure it sounded as scratchy and weak as possible. She lowered her voice and speak weakly. “My throat is… very weak. Could one of you…” She coughed again. “Get me some water… please?”</p><p>Stan and Pete waited for the other to answer her, shuffling nervously on their feet.</p><p>“Sorry, Your Highness,” said Stan. “We aren’t supposed to leave these doors under any circumstances. Your father’s orders.”</p><p>“I know,” Rapunzel said shyly. “And thank you, but—” She coughed again, throwing an extra <em>oomph </em>behind her sickness to really drive up sympathy. “I’m just <em>so </em>thirsty. Please. Just a sip.”</p><p>Pete scratched the back of his neck. “Come on, Stan. I can run to the kitchen. It will take two minutes.”</p><p>Stan sighed reluctantly. “Fine. Just be back quick.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll be back soon.”</p><p>Pete rushed off on quick feet, disappearing down a bend at the end of the hall. Rapunzel felt her confidence grow. One down.</p><p>“I just want to say, Rapunzel,” Stan said somberly, “I’m really sorry about all of this. I’m sure everything will work out.”</p><p>Rapunzel didn’t know how much Stan was aware of her condition. The only people to hear the specifics about her curse from Adira were herself and her parents, and heavens knew that they liked to keep their personal matters… well, personal. She doubted that anyone in the Kingdom knew she was dying, and probably most people outside the castle thought that she had already recovered. Whatever her father was playing at, she couldn’t help but feel a small sense of guilt over it. She didn’t like lying to her citizens, even indirectly.</p><p>That was different from the lying she was doing <em>now</em>, of course. That was totally necessary.</p><p>“Thank you, Stan,” Rapunzel said. “I’m sure it will, too.” She suddenly gasped and brought her fingers to her lips in shock. “Oh, no! I forgot to tell Pete to make sure it was <em>ice</em> water. Oh, I hope he doesn’t forget.”</p><p>“I’m sure he’ll know—” Stan started to say, only to be interrupted by another fit of coughs from the sick Princess. He looked down the hall, and then groaned in acceptance. “Wait here. I’ll go remind him.”</p><p>Stan took off running, and as soon as he was out of sight, Rapunzel stopped coughing and straightened out her posture, proud of herself. They were such nice men. Extremely gullible, but so nice. She would bake some cookies for them when she got back as an apology present. In the meantime, she had work to do.</p><p>Rapunzel knew the castle’s layout like the back of her hand, and navigating it was only made difficult by the heaviness of her breath and the soreness in her legs. On a better day, she could have sprinted to the entrance in around a minute. Heck, she could have cartwheeled half of the way there. But she was in no condition to do anything but walk, forced to lean on one of the walls for balance as she carefully tiptoed her way through the empty, candle-lit hallways, heavy rains pounding on the walls and almost threatening to spill inside. Moving at a glacial pace was anything but ideal; at any moment, a guard could stroll around a corner, spot her, and then any chance she had at leaving would truly be lost. The one benefit she had that she didn't when moving quickly was that she could think about what she was doing. She could formulate a plan, or change what she already had in store.</p><p>She had wanted to leave to Madrid by balloon, but with the storms the way they were, that was out of the question. It was a conundrum because she could hardly wait until they subsided. The next day, her father was probably going to double security around her, so she knew she had to leave as soon as possible, even if it meant being denied the fastest transport. She would have to go by horse, but the fastest horse was Max, and she knew that no matter how badly he wanted to, he would never help her. He wasn’t a rulebreaker, and he wouldn’t want her risking her health more than she already was. She’d have to find another, even if it meant leaving him behind.</p><p>
  <em>“The curse doesn’t just wither your body; it also affects your mind. Your logical processes. Your rationality. You are dealing with too many emotions to see this reasonably.”</em>
</p><p>Adira’s words suddenly came back to her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Affect her mind? Nonsense. She was thinking clearly. She had to leave. It was the only choice. She had no idea how fast the cure would progress, so what was there to wait for? The fastest way to lift the curse was to go find the cure herself. And if she didn’t leave, what would happen? Would she spend the last weeks of her life, rotting away in her bed, writhing in agony while waiting for a cure that would never arrive? That was no way to die. If she was going to go out, it was going to be on her own terms. She shook away her doubts and continued on her way.</p><p><em>She was leaving Pascal to die</em>.</p><p>And then she froze all over again and clutched her aching her chest.</p><p>Her breaths quickened, and she had to fight not to immediately collapse into tears. She gasped and held back her sobs, trying to stay calm as memories of her longest friend suddenly rushed into her thoughts. The day they met. The happiness of leaving her tower. Their adventures in the castle and beyond. It all just hit her at once, and what followed was the bitter truth that she had been struggling to comprehend all day. Pascal could very well die by morning… and she wasn’t going to be there by his side.</p><p>Rapunzel immediately changed course. Her target had been the servants' entrance. Low-security. Easy access to the stables. It would have been perfect. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She needed to go somewhere else first. To make things right, even if it was only in her own mind. With her path lit by the small fires on the walls, she headed down the familiar path and then onto an unfamiliar one; one in which she barely had a need to tread in the three-plus years she had lived within the Kingdom. In many ways, the halls leading there were similar to the ones by her bedroom, but she could feel something drop in the pit of her stomach as she approached her destination, and upon seeing the small, dark wooden door leading to the infirmary, she felt her spine stiffen up, almost frozen with dread.</p><p>With a deep breath, she opened the door and forced herself to go inside.</p><p>She had only needed to visit the infirmary once; an unfortunate incident several years ago when she cut open her foot on a rock while chasing a bluebird down a stream. It led to twelve stitches, an admonishment from Cass that she never listened to telling her to wear shoes, and a two-hour stay in the room that saw the least amount of use in a castle where people tended to live a little too perfectly. Still, her brief stay was enough for her to familiarize herself with the miserable space, and she knew what was expecting her when she stepped inside and looked around. Faded, wooden walls that reeked of their age surrounded a dozen stiff beds and a water press pump in the back of the room. A half-opened linens closet was packed to the gills with bandages and medicines an extra blankets and supplies that had been emptied in a panic. A single handmaiden sat in a chair by the entrance, her night shift interrupted by a drowsiness that lulled her into a deep sleep. That, however, was not what caught her eye; instead, it was the man sleeping rigidly on the closest bed, and the small chameleon that was resting nearby.</p><p>She sniffled back her tears and let her feet carry her when her mind couldn’t. She came to Eugene first, kneeling down beside him. His blanket was half-draped over his bare chest, no doubt the end result of restless, turning sleep, and his arm was in a cloth sling, from which she could see the tips of his black knuckles sticking out. She couldn’t take her eyes off it. It was the same texture and appearance of Cass’s hand after it was burned, and even the slightest glimpse at it brought back her waves of guilt from hurting her friend. That was three people in her life that Incantation hurt now. Three people that <em>she </em>hurt by using it. She knew he would recover, but at what cost? It took Cassandra time and care and practice to get her hand working again, but before she left to go on her own path, she confessed to Rapunzel that it never healed completely. Eugene would have to go through countless hours of physical therapy, and she almost gagged thinking of the struggle he would have to go through. Not to mention the endless complaining he would do when he saw how ugly his hand had become. “Not even a perfect manicure could fix this,” he would mutter to her, staring at in disgust.</p><p>That thought at least brought a semblance of a smile to her face. The idea of him healthy enough to complain about his looks. She went to brush his hair, but withheld her hand, remembering the consequences from the last time they touched. Sighing wistfully, she instead squeezed the sheet by his arm, hoping that the love she had for him would transfer into his sleep and bring him peace.</p><p>It was when she went to Pascal that the tears came out, silent and freely. The handmaids were kind enough to make him a tiny little bed out of the linens, a soft pillow and a pile of warm sheets for him to rest on. But he looked far worse than her husband, his green having turned almost grey and his body barely moving. She couldn’t remember what she did to him, but she could guess. Squeezing him tightly in her palm. Forcing the Incantation through his entire body. Him, squealing and crying as his best friend choked the life out from him. The idea that the last thing he might ever see was her betraying him was too much for her to bear, and she fought as hard as she could not to completely break down right there by his bed. She had to be strong—and she had to be quick. Her time was running out.</p><p>“Hi, Pascal,” she said weakly, smiling through her tears. “I… I just needed to see you one more time before I left. I’m sorry that I couldn’t come sooner. I know you would have wanted to see me. At least, I hope you would have…” She turned to check that the handmaid had not woken, and then checked her breath and continued. “I, um… I have to go away for a little while. The way to fix this is out there, and I have to find it. I want to take you with me. I want that so badly, but I can’t. I can’t risk you being around me. Not when I’m like… like <em>this</em>.” She shut her eyes, fell to her knees and pressed her head against the mattress, struggling to find the right words. “I… I just wanted to let you know… if you <em>are</em> listening to this, that I… I love you <em>so much</em>, Pascal. You have been the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for, and I am so… I am so <em>sorry</em> that I hurt you. I hope you can forgive me someday when all of this is over. Until then, I need you to stay healthy for me, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can be, and I promise that I will make this right. No matter what happens, I am going to fix this. I love you. I love you...”</p><p>She heard a commotion break out from down the hall. There was a sudden clamoring of footsteps, and she realized that her absence had been noticed. She was out of time. With one final fated breath, she leaned forward and gave Pascal a gentle kiss on his head. It only lasted a second; any longer of a touch and she was afraid of what she might do to him.</p><p>“Take care of each other,” she whispered, and then with one last lingering glance, she left the infirmary and took off as fast as she could down the halls.</p><p>She forced herself to run as she heard the guards frantically roaming the nearby halls. They were still a ways from her, but they would catch up to her in minutes if she didn’t hurry. She felt herself growing weaker with every step she took as she raced through the castle hallways, down the spiral staircase in the back and then into the kitchen, weaving between the stoves as she made her way toward the stables. She was breathing hard, and she very nearly tripped over herself running along the recently polished floors. It was that damned curse, already sucking the life out of her after only a few days. She had no stamina at all, but she forced herself to keep moving, even as her legs burned and her heart was beating so fast that she thought it would explode out of her chest. She would get her freedom even if she died trying.</p><p>Again, she couldn’t fly a balloon in these conditions, so her next best thought was to travel by horseback. The stables were her best chance, and when she managed to finally make it outside into the freezing rain, she focused on making it there as soon as possible. The dirt beneath her turned into mud, but she forced herself through the training yard and toward the small shelter where the horses rested for the night.</p><p>She was reminded painfully of how she couldn't get Max's help. Or could she? He was the fastest horse in the guard, but would he really violate a direct order to take her across the continent? On one hand, he was as loyal as a stallion could be, but on the other, he wouldn’t break the rules for her, especially not when her health was on the line. He may not have even been in the stables. If anything, he was probably leading the charge to bring her back to her room, and in all fairness, he should have been. The guilt of leaving everything behind never subsided when the adrenaline kicked in. She pushed it away as she arrived at the stables, however, and focused on dragging the massive wooden doors open. It was a struggle merely to hold onto them in the rain, and it took the very last vestiges of strength she had left to pry open the doors wide enough for a horse to fit through before she slipped her way inside. She pressed herself tightly against the back of the door as she heard the choir of guards calling for her, making their way outside. She gasped, retaining what breath she could as she tried to concentrate. She would have to ride past them and hope she could outrun them out of the Kingdom. Then what? Lose them in the forest? They knew where she was headed. They would be on her tail the entire way to Madrid. God, she couldn’t think clearly. Was it just the exhaustion kicking in, or was Adira right about her mind failing her already?</p><p>“Going somewhere?”</p><p>Rapunzel froze in shock. She turned into the darkness, and as her eyes slowly adjusted to the blackness of the stables, she saw her standing there: confident, relaxed, and leaning against one of the back walls, checking her nails. Damn.</p><p>“How did… how?” Rapunzel stammered.</p><p>“I mean, it was obvious you would try to escape,” Adira said plainly. “Don’t worry. I haven’t been waiting long.”</p><p>Rapunzel’s gaze shot toward the closest horse, just waking up from its sleep, but Adira just laughed at her, oozing with the pride of a woman who understood just how out of her league her opponent was.</p><p>“Yeah, you aren’t getting onto that horse,” she said bluntly. “You are going back to your bed.”</p><p>“Adira, please,” Rapunzel begged. “I can’t stay here. Not when all of this is on my shoulders. I have to be the one to set this right.”</p><p>“You can set this right,” Adira explained, crossing her arms, “by getting some rest and getting healthy. I will take care of finding a way to undo <em>La Maldición de la Muerte Azul.</em> It’s me repaying the favor for you disposing of the Moonstone.”</p><p>“Adira, you can’t—”</p><p>“Yes, I can, and I will,” Adira stated. She spoke so authoritatively that Rapunzel's resolve turned to dust. “Rapunzel, this isn’t just about you. We cannot let that Incantation out beyond this castle. Right now, it seems to be relegated to what you touch, but if it gets stronger? Rapunzel, I’ve been on the receiving end of that. I’m not risking the world on you.”</p><p>She was making a good point, but Rapunzel couldn’t give up. She was so close. She knew that there was no other way. Then again, there was also no way past Adira. Rapunzel couldn’t defeat her in a fight even if she was at her full-strength. Rapunzel quickly looked to the open stable next to her, across from the other horse. She would have to think quickly. The guards were closing in.</p><p>“How fast do you think you can make it?” Rapunzel asked hesitantly, giving ground to the superior warrior.</p><p>“If the weather clears up and I can travel by balloon, maybe a week. Thrice as long on horseback, as long as I push it through the night.” Adira tried to smile comfortingly, though she wasn’t sure how well her expressions got across in the dark. “I know it seems harsh, but I’m trying to help you, Rapunzel. I’ll travel as fast as I can.”</p><p>“And… and if you don’t find something…” Rapunzel said, her rebellion fading. “Then you’ll still do what you can to help the others, right?”</p><p>“Rapunzel…”</p><p>“I need you to promise me that,” Rapunzel said desperately, hearing the guards steadily come closer to the stables. “If this doesn’t work out, and I don’t make it—”</p><p>“You <em>will</em> make it. I promise.”</p><p>“But if I <em>don’t</em>,” Rapunzel begged, “then make sure that they move on without me. Don’t let me drag them down for the rest of their lives.”</p><p>Adira shook her head, and calmly approached the tearful Princess. “It won’t come to that. I promise.”</p><p>Rapunzel bowed her head in shame. She had no idea why she was doing what she was. People like Adira, her parents, the guards… all they wanted as to look out for her. To make sure she was happy. And how did she repay that kindness? Running away from them. Leaving them behind so she could suffer by herself. Maybe it really would be better to leave it all in Adira’s hands. She was strong and capable. She could easily make it to Madrid and back with the knowledge of how to beat the curse. Maybe letting someone else take care of her was the right thing to do. After all, was waiting in her bed really such a terrible thing? She could be close to Eugene and Pascal. She wouldn't hurt anyone else. It wasn't giving up if she thought of it like that. It was a sacrifice, but one that she could make. She just had to learn to let go. Rapunzel sighed bitterly as the thoughts swirled within her, and she finally made up her mind.</p><p>“Adira… thank you,” Rapunzel said somberly. “I know you’ll be able to help us. You’re such a…”</p><p>Adira waited in the darkness for Rapunzel to finish, but she never did.</p><p>“Rapunzel?”</p><p>She looked closer at Rapunzel’s face. The panic and fear were gone. But in its place was nothing at all.</p><p>“Rapunzel?”</p><p>The Princess didn’t say a word. She was staring at Adira, but she wasn’t <em>looking </em>at her. She wasn’t looking at anything. Adira quickly realized what was happening, and she hurried toward Rapunzel in fear. The blue scars on Rapunzel's hand shone brightly through the darkness.</p><p>“Oh no, not again. Not now.”</p><p>Adira grabbed Rapunzel by the shoulders, careful to listen for the Incantation to begin so she could let go. Rapunzel was limp while standing, the subtlest shake causing her head to roll back and her knees to tremble. Adira knew she needed to get her back into her room, back to safety before the curse kicked up again. She wished she knew what triggered it, but she didn’t have time to think as she gently pushed Rapunzel toward the stable entrance.</p><p>“Come on, Rapunzel. We need to—”</p><p>Rapunzel suddenly came to life, and before Adira realized what was happening, she had been swept off her feet. Cass had trained Rapunzel in a few basic arts of self-defense, just in case the Princess ever found herself without her frying pan. One of the simplest was a close-range throw to knock an adversary to the ground. Foot behind the opponent’s leg. Move with her hips. Throw all her weight. Adira was strong, smart, and talented… but she wasn’t perfect, and she had let her guard down for the poor, sick, helpless Princess for just long enough. She wasn’t able to control herself as Rapunzel shifted her momentum, and with a surprising, desperate amount of force, she threw Adira into the open stable, and before Adira could recover, Rapunzel closed the door behind her, buying her a few extra precious seconds.</p><p>“Hey! What the hell?” Adira screamed, scrambling to her feet as Rapunzel raced to jump on the back of the closest stallion she could find. She leaped onto its back, almost dragging herself onto the saddle, and gave a sharp whip with its reins to spur it into action. Adira was back on her feet within seconds, but by the time she had gotten out of her stable, Rapunzel and the stallion had already burst out the front door and back into the rain, escaping her reach into the night.</p><p>A cluster of guards was waiting for her, but she pushed through them with an explosive burst of speed, taking off into the rain. More guards poured out of the servants’ entrance, pointing and chasing after her, but the stallion took off galloping across the field, maneuvering around every obstacle in its path as it kicked up sloshes of mud in its wake. Rapunzel leaned forward, wrapping her arms tightly around its sturdy neck to keep her balance as it fled past the castle walls and out onto the streets of Corona. The rain pounded at her back, and for just a second, a flash of lightning lit up the darkened streets before thunder crashed around her.</p><p>“Out of Corona, boy!” Rapunzel shouted at the horse over the rain. She needed to learn its name later. When she was safe. If she was ever safe. She prayed that the horse would move as fast as the rain.</p><hr/><p>Cassandra froze at the start of the bridge, rain slamming onto her head. Fidella neighed at her, irritated that her owner wasn’t steering her out of the water, but Cassandra was unresponsive to her cries. She had been rushing for so long, and now, when she finally should have been moving fast, she found herself waiting.</p><p>Corona was so close. Just a bridge away, and she would be back to the Kingdom that a few months ago, she had helped completely destroy. A Kingdom that considered her their greatest enemy—and the Princess who was willing to give her a second chance. That was what mattered. Not the citizens of the town who totally still hated her, or the fact that she was giving up her destiny on nothing more than a bad hunch. She needed to check-in on Rapunzel, even if it turned out to be nothing. It was the right thing to do.</p><p>“Okay, girl. I’m ready,” Cassandra told her horse, and Fidella began a hurried trot toward the other side of the dimly-lit bridge.</p><p>Or at least, she started to. Fidella only moved forward a couple of feet before she stopped suddenly, eyeing something headed toward them. Cassandra squinted and leaned in, trying to catch a better look at the shape racing toward them at a frighteningly fast pace. Was that a horse? Out in this weather? It was whinnying loudly, its cries even breaking through the rain. And there was someone on it, hunched over. Her posture was terrible like she barely knew how to ride. The shape of a dress flowed from behind her. From a distance, she even looked like…</p><p>“Rapunzel?” Cassandra said, startled. Was that really her? What the hell was that girl doing? “<em>Rapunzel</em>!”</p><p>Cassandra tried screaming over the rain, but her words became caught the water around her. Rapunzel approached quickly. Too quickly. Out of control. She drew closer and closer, and another crack of lightning illuminated the sky, allowing Cassandra to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Princess’s face. Her eyes were wide. Lifeless. Her lips were moving, but Cassandra couldn’t make out the words. Her hands: gripping the horse’s neck, and… was there something black spreading across the horse’s fur?</p><p>Without warning, the horse steered sharply left and collapsed into the railing of the bridge. Its rider went limp, and immediately sailed off the horse and over the side of he bridge, crashing lifelessly into the water below. Cassandra screamed in shock, leaping off Fidella and sprinting toward the overboard rider. The horse was in some measure of pain, its neck rotten and sickly, but she didn’t have time to be concerned for it even as it horrified and confused her. She looked into the drink below, but couldn’t see a sign of the Princess anywhere. She wasn’t struggling to surface, even though Cassandra knew Rapunzel could swim. What the hell had happened? What was she running from? And what was with her being awake yet looking so… so <em>weird</em>? Almost like she was possessed.</p><p>Stop. No time for questions.</p><p>Cassandra stepped onto the railing, and after casting her sword and heavy gloves aside, she dove into the ocean after Rapunzel. The heavy rain pounded against the surface of the water above her like endless percussion as she frantically searched the space around her for the Princess. It was too dark to see. Her senses? Too muted. She could only thrash around her arms in desperation and pray that she grabbed something vaguely Rapunzel-esque before it was too late.</p><p>Just as her breath threatened to expire, her hand brushed against something that felt something like cloth, and Cassandra gripped it tightly. She pulled the thing in close to her chest and wrapped her arm around it as she pulled herself up to the surface, struggling to lift the lifeless mass. She didn't quit, though, and with all of her might, she propelled herself up to the air and pulled the thing up with her, finally able to see what it was: a girl with short brown hair and a wet bandage over her cheek. Her friend. A desperate wave of relief crashed over her. Together with Rapunzel, they gasped for breath as they paddled in the violent rain, trying to stay afloat. Rapunzel coughed and sputtered, slowly coming back to life in the cold water, and she looked around, horribly confused until she saw the woman gently holding her above the water on the tension of the ocean.</p><p>“C-Cass? Is that you?” she asked weakly. Cassandra, tired and panting and equally confused as all hell, could only smile in return.</p><p>“Hey, Raps,” she said breathlessly. “Long time no see.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Crashing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cassandra has finally arrived to save Rapunzel. Rapunzel isn't happy about it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies in advance for any breaks in updates. We are writing three different stories simultaneously and it's hard to keep track of everything. We will try our best to get back in the swing of things soon. Thank you and enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took a few seconds for Rapunzel to realize that she wasn't dreaming—or hallucinating. The world was still flickering in and out of darkness, and the cold rainwater and the ocean combined drenched her to her bones, and on top of all of that, she felt a new pain open up her stomach, adding to every other misery she had been struggling with the past few days. Maybe she was losing her mind. That would explain why Cassandra was there, when Rapunzel knew she very much shouldn't have been. But it was when she felt Cassandra paddling to shore, carrying her dead weight almost entirely in one arm, that she suspected she may have actually been awake. And when Cassandra laid her down on the sands of the shoreline, and she gently removed her cloak and wrapped Rapunzel's soaked body in it, Rapunzel finally realized that her friend was actually back home.</p><p>"Cass…what are you doing here?" Rapunzel said weakly.</p><p>Cassandra shook her head. "I heard you collapsed at some dinner a few days. I got worried, so I came to check on you. But honestly, I think we have more to worry about."</p><p>Rapunzel tried to sit up, but Cassandra placed one hand on her chest and gently forced her down.</p><p>"Hey, take it easy. I've never seen someone get thrown off a horse so hard. We should get you back to the castle before—"</p><p>"No!" Rapunzel said suddenly. "I can't go back there." The cloak encased her almost like a cacoon, but she struggled to free herself. She tried pushing up to her hands and knees, but fell over back into the rough sand—allowing Cassandra to see, for the first time clearly, the stark blue scars on the back of her hands.</p><p>"Whoa! Wait a second," said Cassandra, sliding around to block Rapunzel's exit and grabbing her hand. "First of all, why not? Second, what are these things on your—"</p><p>"Don't touch me," Rapunzel said frantically. She pulled her hand away so suddenly and tried to move again. Like before, she failed to get so much as to her knees. Cassandra reached for her, but she tried crawling away further down the shore, sliding along on her belly. Rapunzel could hear the horse whinnying in pain. She had lost control <em>again</em>. Hurt something <em>again</em>. She started hyperventilating, desperately trying to get away from Cass before she lost blacked out and hurt anything else. She barely made it a foot down the shoreline, however, before Cass grabbed her by the shoulders, and not knowing what else to do, pulled Rapunzel in close for a hug.</p><p>"Jeez, Rapunzel, calm down," Cass said worriedly. Rapunzel refused to hug her back, and she could feel her wheezing heavily against her collarbone. If she couldn't tell something was wrong before, it was abundantly clear that it was now. "It's okay. Whatever's going on, it's okay now. I'm here for you."</p><p>"No…no you don't understand," Rapunzel gasped. "You can't be here. It's not safe…it's not—"</p><p>Cassandra shushed her, lacing on hand against Rapunzel's hair and brushing it softly. It was strange having her fingers fall through the loose strands so easily. She was still used to it being seventy feet long. Even when soaking wet, it was unrealistically smooth. In a strange way, it felt like home</p><p>"Raps, you need to take a deep breath," Cass said calmingly. "You are freaking me out. Everything's going to be all right. Just breathe."</p><p>Raps—she hadn't been called that in what felt like forever. It was soothing. Familiar. It made her feel warm. It let her breathe. Rapunzel held back her tears, and she steadied her breaths, just like Cassandra asked of her, feeling the other woman's strength run through her. She allowed herself to lean deeper into Cassandra's embrace, and even though the two of them were kneeling in the middle of a thunderstorm, soaking wet and tired and hurting in so many ways, Rapunzel felt suddenly felt safer than she had ever been in the last few cursed days. She closed her eyes, and though her hands hesitated for a moment, she finally allowed them to wrap around Cassandra's waist, welcoming her old friend back into her life. She didn't know how much she would miss Cassandra's arms around her.</p><p>God, she <em>needed </em>this.</p><p>"I'm…I'm sorry," Rapunzel finally sighed, nestling herself into the heavy fabric of Cass's tunic. "It's been a really rough week."</p><p>"I can tell," Cass said, half-jokingly. She carefully pulled away from Rapunzel so she could look her in the eyes. The poor thing was shivering, and there was a glint of terror in her eyes that was unbecoming of her. She must have been spooked by something bad. And that bandage under the eye? What was that hiding? More scars like the ones on her hands. "Can you please tell me what's happening? Is it something I can help with?"</p><p>Rapunzel bowed her head, trying to find the right words. What <em>wasn't </em>happening? She didn't even know where to begin.</p><p>She was cut-off before she ever had the chance to speak. In the distance, reaching through the break in thunderstrikes and grabbing their attention, came the stampeding sounds of the Royal Guard speeding over the bridge. Rapunzel became racked with panic, and grabbed onto Cassandra's shoulders in fear.</p><p>"Oh no. Cass, you need to hide me."</p><p>"Hide you?" Cass stammered. She glanced toward the end of the bridge, where small beacons of light were shining through the immense darkness. "You need to hide from the guards?"</p><p>"We don't have time. Please. You can't let them get me. Please."</p><p>Cassandra was even more confused than she was before. Running from the guards like a fugitive was certainly not something she would ever expect from Rapunzel. But with those big green eyes staring at her, pleading with her, she couldn't turn her down. Whatever was wrong, she could trust Rapunzel. She always could.</p><p>Cassandra helped Rapunzel to her feet, and scanned her environment for a good place to hide. She whistled to Fidella, and when the mare rushed toward her, she pointed deep into the woods and ordered the horse to hide the best she could. Fidella galloped away, tracing over the muddy tracks she left before vanishing into the darkness. Owl was already waiting in the trees, safe from view. All she had left to do was hide the Princess. Fortunately, she could think of one. She led Rapunzel quickly to the bridge and motioned beneath it. Just where the stone met the shoreline was a small gap, barely large enough to rest in with just enough headspace that they wouldn't drown. With the guards rapidly approaching, they were left with no other options. With Cassandra's assistance, Rapunzel carefully crawled underneath the bridge, marching through the shallow, freezing ocean on her hands and knees until she was fully hidden beneath the stonework. Cassandra did the same. Though they were finally safe from the rain, they didn't get any more comfortable. There was barely enough room for one person, let alone both of them. Their backs were pressed up against the underside of the bridge, and their faces only managed to hover about an inch above the sea level. It took everything they had not to faint in the icy water, especially for Rapunzel, who was certain that her bones were going to turn to ice and snap off completely. Crouching in the cold ocean and shoulder-to-shoulder, they waited nervously as the bridge above them began to rumble with the treading of a dozen horses hurrying toward them. They held their breath as the bridge shook horribly above them and then suddenly stopped as the guards came to a halt just above their freezing cold hiding spot.</p><p>"Oh no. Biscuit, what happened to you?"</p><p>"Did she get another one?"</p><p>"Yeah, look at his chest. It's okay, boy. We'll take care of you."</p><p>They shouted at each other over the rain, and Cassandra strained her hearing to make it out.</p><p>"Adira, any sign of her?"</p><p>"No, but I can barely see in this storm."</p><p>Cassandra's heart skipped a beat. Did she really just hear Adira's voice? If that woman was there…what the hell did Rapunzel get herself into?</p><p>"She couldn't have gotten far if she's on foot."</p><p>"Should we scan the shoreline? Maybe the forest?"</p><p>"Hold that thought, Moustache. Look. Tracks heading into the forest. And…wait a second. What's this?"</p><p>That was when Cassandra remembered something. She left something behind. When she jumped in to save Rapunzel. Her gloves. Her sword. They were lying on the bridge.</p><p>"Did you find something, Adira?"</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>Adira said nothing. She was studying the weapon. Cassandra was sure of it. Trying to remember where she had seen it before. She stayed quiet for a long time, and with every passing second, Cassandra felt her hope slip away. She didn't know why Rapunzel was trying to avoid her friends, but it didn't matter. She knew they were going to find them any moment now. She had to be ready to fight back, even if she had no means of defending herself. She had to protect Rapunzel at all costs, regardless of what she was saving her <em>from</em>.</p><p>"Call off the search."</p><p>The world lit up around them for a flash, and then a massive crash of thunder distorted the rainfall.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You heard me. This weather is going to make it impossible to track them. We'll wait for the storm to clear and then continue in the morning."</p><p>Footsteps from above. Cassandra held her breath.</p><p>"Are you serious? You're just going to let the Princess get away?"</p><p>"She won't get far. Not in her condition. You said it yourself. Max, let's escort these men back to the castle. That horse, too. No reason why it needs to suffer out here."</p><p>More footsteps. A few horses neighed as their riders mounted them. One of them may have been the wounded one. Cassandra couldn't tell.</p><p>"Adira, wait. You can seriously be giving up now? The Princess may not survive the night out in this storm."</p><p>Cassandra didn't know how, but she could practically hear Adira smirk through her answer. "Don't worry about that," she said calmly. "She's not traveling alone anymore."</p><p>With the power of an earthquake, the stampeded of horses left the bridge, returning to the Kingdom of Corona. Still hesitant, Cassandra waited an extra minute in the freezing water before she could no longer bear the chill seeping into her muscles and forced herself to check above. The soldiers were gone, much to their word, off with the cracks of thunder. The injured horse was gone as well, carried away with the help of the others. Her sword and her gloves remained behind, however; a reminder from Adira that she knew. Cassandra would never really know if Adira meant what she said about the hunt being easier in the morning—or if she just had enough respect for Rapunzel to give her a head start. It didn't really matter in the end. The point was that they had an opening, and Cassandra wasn't going to risk losing it. She crawled back under the bridge and held out a hand to Rapunzel, who could barely keep herself supported on her trembling arms and legs.</p><p>"Come on. Coast is clear."</p><p>Rapunzel reached out toward Cassandra's hand, but froze. The skin on it was as black as the night. Burnt and nearly dead. Rapunzel gagged, resisting the urge to throw up. That skin was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. She gently accepted Cassandra's touch, and let the older woman guide her out from beneath the bridge. She almost fell, but Cassandra steadied her as she guided her back to the land. Why did she suspect that would become a running theme?</p><hr/><p>The patrons of the Snuggly Duckling weren't expecting the Princess to burst through the door of their establishment hanging off the arm of the women who, only a few months ago, was actively trying to kill them all.</p><p>But that's what they got.</p><p>The second Cassandra kicked in the door, every crook and thief in sight looked up from their drinks, startled by their presence. A few instinctively reached for their weapons. The destruction of Corona under Cassandra's influence was still fresh in their minds, and even if they weren't technically friendly with the Kingdom, the pain that she had wrought was enough to bring them to the edge. Rapunzel's company calmed them, however, and Cassandra just ignored them, immediately taking Rapunzel to the back of the pub, where a warm fire crackled away, illuminating the entire bar in a soft orange glow. The usuals were there, with nowhere else to go. Big Nose sitting at the bar, picking his big nose. Attila, humming a little ditty to himself at a table. Shorty, passed out underneath a stool. Big Nose was the first to speak up.</p><p>"Rapunzel? What are you doing here?"</p><p>Rapunzel was too exhausted to talk. Cassandra did that for her.</p><p>"Listen up," Cassandra ordered, not even caring to say hello. "The Princess needs to get warm <em>pronto</em>. If there are blankets or sheets in a back room somewhere, grab them. She also needs a mug of warm water, and anything else warm you can grab. Got it?"</p><p>Big Nose awkwardly twiddled his thumbs. "Um…"</p><p>"Now!" Cassandra said sharply.</p><p>There was nothing like the demands of a woman with a sword to get the patrons of the Ugly Duckling off their asses. They all jumped up to their feet, hurrying around the bar searching for supplies as Cassandra led Rapunzel to rest in a chair by the fireplace. The Princess was shivering intensely, hugging herself to stay warm, and even her breathing was full of shudders as she tried her best to let the fire warm her. The supplies came one after the other. A handful of big, raggedy cloths found somewhere in a back closet, the closest thing the scoundrels had to blankets. A dozen or so cups filled with warm water. Attila even gave them a sheet of sugar cookies that he had just baked for the others. Cassandra's heart softened a little seeing such awful people go out of their way to help Rapunzel. She had never really liked any of them. She had been a sworn protector of Corona, and their reputation was less than glowing. But they cared. That was enough.</p><p>Cassandra made sure that Rapunzel got warm. She wrapped two blankets around Rapunzel's shoulders, and after she noticed that Rapunzel's toes were turning red, she carefully bound her feet in an extra cloth, patting the delicate little things to make sure they were snug and secured. She almost considered getting Rapunzel out of her dress, but considering her surroundings, she didn't think that was a good idea. She did, however, gently remove the soaking wet bandage from Rapunzel's face with surprisingly little resistance—exposing the bizarre, blue scar that ran down the length of Rapunzel's cheek. It was crude and jagged, ruining Rapunzel's otherwise flawless features. That was nearly enough to piss Cass off on its own, but she kept her emotions under control. It was a mystery she was anxious to solve once her immediate duties were done. Rapunzel was still trembling, staying deathly silent as she tried to get warm. She practically had to force-feed Rapunzel the mugs to get her to drink anything, and Rapunzel didn't say a word as she was taken care of. Not one. It got to a point where Cassandra was quite disturbed by it. Rapunzel wasn't necessarily chatty, but she was never the solemn, silent one of the group. Cassandra hoped that it wasn't permanent. She sighed, calling over to Big Nose just as she finished rushing around the bar.</p><p>"Hey, one last thing," she said. He panted, resting his hands on his knees.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>Cassandra mimed sipping back a drink. "I need a beer. Now."</p><p>Big Nose saluted, eager to please. Tired, but eager, especially for someone so terrifying as the former scourge of Corona. As he ran behind the counter, Cassandra grabbed the nearest barstool and dragged it over to the fireplace. She planted it down right in front of Rapunzel and planted herself right on top of it. The water dripped down off her tunic and formed a steady puddle beneath the wood, but she didn't mind the fact that she was also soaking wet. She was too focused for that. It made one of them; Rapunzel's eyes were lost, gazing at the fire, and Cassandra wondered what was going on in that girl's head to create such a distance between them.</p><p>"So, this isn't how I was planning on spending my night," Cassandra stated, trying to generate <em>some </em>response out of the Princess. "How about, now that you're warm, you tell me what's going on with those scars and why everyone hates you now."</p><p>Rapunzel didn't meet Cassandra's gaze. She simply focused on breathing, in and out, calm and gentle. Thinking about why she was in the place that she was in was the <em>last </em>thing she wanted to do.</p><p>Big Nose arrived with a giant glass of foaming beer, handing it to Cassandra nervously. She took it from him with a thank you, though not a particularly kind one. That was by accident. She didn't mean to be malicious anymore. She was simply too worried to be kind. He cowered away from her regardless. Maybe he was still expecting her to impale him with a horde of black rocks. Cassandra shrugged and took a sip of her beer. It wasn't great, but it was the best she was going to get, so she took it. Any alcohol was welcome. She sat in front of the fire for a long time, waiting for Rapunzel to find the strength to explain herself. Yet, when the Princess finally spoke, no revelations came.</p><p>"You didn't have to do this for me," Rapunzel said weakly.</p><p>"Save you from hypothermia? I mean, I kind of did," Cassandra said casually. "Letting you die really wouldn't sit well with me."</p><p>"I meant saving me from the guards," Rapunzel said. Her lips tightened in pain for just a moment. "You betrayed the Kingdom for me in a heartbeat, without even knowing why. You didn't have to do that. You shouldn't have."</p><p>Cassandra simply shrugged again and sipped more beer. "Hey, you were in trouble. I couldn't just let them get you. Besides, with all of the magical spells and potions and alchemy stuff that exists, there's like a sixty percent chance that they've all been turned evil."</p><p>"Or <em>I </em>could have turned evil," Rapunzel said somberly.</p><p>"Yeah, I don't think so." Cassandra smiled. "I mean, I've seen magic turn you into an arrogant jerk, an amnesiac, a literal bird…but I don't think it's possible to actually turn <em>you </em>evil. I don't think you could be evil if you tried."</p><p>Rapunzel felt a twinge of guilt.</p><p>"So, the scars. What's up with that?" Cassandra asked quickly. "I assume that has something to do with why the Kingdom is trying to capture you, and why Adira is here, and also why you collapsed at that fancy dinner thing you held."</p><p>Rapunzel tucked her chin, her eyes darting to the floor. "You…you could say that."</p><p>"Hey, look at me. It's okay. You're safe from, well, whatever it is."</p><p>When Rapunzel didn't move, Cassandra reached forward tried to grab her hand beneath the blanket. That only earned her a swift rebuke in the form of a forceful shove. Cassandra finally got an emotion out of her. Just not the right ones.</p><p>"I told you not to touch me," Rapunzel said suddenly. "Please, stop that!"</p><p>"I'm only trying to get you to talk," Cassandra said defensively. She wasn't prepared for outright hostility. "Come on, Raps, something is wrong. Let me help you."</p><p>"Why aren't you listening to me? I said that I could hurt you!" The blue scar contorted with Rapunzel's face as her anger became too much for her.</p><p>"I don't know what that means. You could at least explain it—"</p><p>"I don't <em>want</em> you here, Cass!"</p><p>Rapunzel's words rippled throughout the Ugly Duckling. Every eye in the room turned to her. Drinks crashed down onto wooden tables. A few gasps were let out. Cassandra was taken aback; when Rapunzel saw the heartbreak in her eyes, she could only shake her head in shame.</p><p>"Look, Cass, I…thank you for everything you've done for me," she said, tripping over her tongue. "But this isn't something you need to get involved with. You <em>can't </em>get involved with it. I have to do this alone."</p><p>Cass pursed her lips, narrowing her gaze. "I don't even know what <em>this</em> is. You can't tell me not to get involved when I don't even know what's wrong."</p><p>"If I tell you, you're going to want to help," Rapunzel explained. "You'll force yourself into this, and I can't have that. You need to just leave Corona and not come back. For your own sake."</p><p>"Oh, sure," Cassandra said sarcastically. "Let me just leave you alone while you go off and nearly drown yourself again. Or freeze to death. Or get yourself killed some other way." Cassandra quickly noticed the others in the bar staring at them and growled. "Hey, can the Princess get some privacy here?"</p><p>The others turned back to their drinks, pretending to distract themselves in conversation. None of them ever really stopped listening, even as Cassandra turned her attention back to the wounded Princess, who's faced had tightened to an embittered, indignant glare.</p><p>"Cassandra, this is <em>serious</em>," Rapunzel warned her, barely able to hold together a sentence. "It's worse than anything else we've dealt with. Some very bad things have happened in the past three days. I'm not going to make you a part of this if it means risking your life. That's the end of that."</p><p>"No, it isn't," Cassandra dismissed her. She tried her absolute damnedest not to get frustrated. Rapunzel was frustrated enough for the two of them. Maybe unreasonably so, though Cassandra had no way of knowing. She didn't know what kind of hell that poor girl had gone through. Calling it worse than anything else they've faced—her imagination ran amok. "Raps, please. Getting angry at me isn't going to help. You need to tell me what happened so I can at least understand why you're mad. Plus, I think I technically <em>kidnapped</em> you, so you kind of owe me a reason for why I'm now a fugitive from the law."</p><p>Raps shut her eyes tight, sighing. That…that wasn't unreasonable. Cassandra had just saved her life. Again. Like always. She had already given Rapunzel shelter, and food, and warmth when she so desperately needed it. She deserved to know the truth. At least she needed that. And Rapunzel was being cruel to her, and that wasn't right. It didn't <em>feel </em>right, like the anger wasn't even her own. But Rapunzel knew what Cassandra would say when she told her that she was dying. When she explained how she hurt Pascal and Eugene. How eager she would be to throw herself back into the thick of it, begging to assist her on her journey. How close she would want to become in her dying days. The imminent threat of it all made it so tantalizing.</p><p>"If I tell you," Rapunzel said hesitantly, "then you have to promise me something."</p><p>Cassandra immediately grimaced. "If you're going to ask me to leave, I'm not doing that."</p><p>"Cass—"</p><p>"No way. You need help. You're getting help." Cassandra said it so calmly that Rapunzel almost felt like she couldn't argue against them. Still, she persisted.</p><p>"You can't be around me now. It isn't safe."</p><p>"Like being around you has <em>ever</em> been safe."</p><p>"It's different this time. This curse is—"</p><p>"Oh," Cassandra smirked. "So, you're cursed. Thanks for telling me."</p><p>Rapunzel winced in frustration. Dammit.</p><p>"So, let me piece this together," Cassandra said, thinking out loud. "You got cursed—probably by some weird magical lamp or something—and now a bunch of blue markings show up on your body which...drain your strength? And hurts you? And makes you really moody, apparently?"</p><p>"Cass, come on."</p><p>"And based on what you said about touching you," Cassandra continued undeterred. "I'm guessing that if you touch someone for too long, it…also covers them in blue marks? Which hurts them the same way it hurts you? Like a blue scar virus, kind of." Cassandra thought about it some more, then shrugged and drank more beer, needing to wash down her troubles. She smacked her lips together, and the mug swung around in her loose grip as she finished her analysis. "And you've probably infected a few people already, so the Kingdom put you on lockdown until they could cure you. But of course, you're <em>Rapunzel</em>, so you don't do captivity very well. So, you fled. And they chased you down for your own good. And now here we are. Am I close?"</p><p>Rapunzel was going to protest. She was going to chastise her for her arrogance, but honestly…she was like ninety-percent correct. The most important bits were missing, the things she would have no way of knowing about, but for a general outline of events? Remarkably spot on. The basic power dynamics were all there. It would have been impressive if the situation wasn't so dire. Rapunzel could really only hang her head in disappointment.</p><p>"We've had way too many magic-related misadventures, haven't we?"</p><p>Cassandra snickered, fondly running her thumb over the handle of her mug. "Yeah. God, our lives suck."</p><p>It was the first thing Cassandra said that drew a smile out of Rapunzel. A faint, longing one. But it was something. Cassandra made sure to cherish it. It was the first Rapunzel smile she had seen in four months. Genuine. Kind. Pure. Who knew when she would see something like that again? Not with so many unknown like random curses and scars. She didn't know all the details of Rapunzel's condition, but hey. No reason to not be happy. She made a Princess feel a little less awful. Stand proud. She finished the rest of her beer, swallowing it with the rest of her sadness. She sighed contently as she slammed the empty mug on the ground beside her. The fire crackled behind her, and it almost made her forget that she was drenched in ocean water and smelled like a rancid fish from so many days of unyielding travel. Rapunzel, on the other hand? She forgot about a lot of things at that moment. It was when they all came crashing back into her mind that her smile was stolen from her.</p><p>"Cassandra, it's…it's not exactly that, though."</p><p>"So, what does it matter?" Cassandra said boldly. "Whatever it is, we'll fix it. You stopped Zhan Tiri. You stopped <em>me.</em> You can stop a dumb curse."</p><p>Rapunzel pulled the blankets tighter around her shoulders, embracing whatever flimsy protection they gave her. She couldn't keep the secrets safe anymore. Cassandra basically already knew, and no matter what she said, she likely wasn't going to go away no matter how much she begged her. Not when she literally committed treason to save her life. Those truths—those horrible, guilty things she did to the people she loved—were going to have to be said out loud. So was the truth about her fate: something Cassandra never should have needed to know about. Cass had finally broken free. After years of service and miserable solitude, Cass broke out on her own. She was carving her own destiny. She didn't need to worry about Rapunzel anymore. She had <em>earned</em> that. And here Rapunzel was, about to drag her kicking and screaming into her problems. Of all the casualties that her curse would bring, she feared <em>that</em> would be the most insidious.</p><p>Bu Cassandra deserved to know. They were sisters. Hell, they were closer than that. What else could she do but be honest?</p><p>"It's not just a random curse," Rapunzel said quietly. "Do you remember the Decay Incantation?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Easy Choices</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cassandra comes to terms with the inevitable. The King learns of his daughter's escape.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long wait between updates. Sorry. Got new job. It's very boring. Also, we're writing three stories at once. Don't ever do that. Bad idea. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cassandra took it all in without any sort of reaction. Every new piece of news ricocheted off of Cassandra's blank expression like arrows bouncing off of steel. With each passing second, Rapunzel expected Cassandra to lose her temper, or break down into mournful tears, or do something that indicated that the truth was affecting her. It was all so much, and Rapunzel herself could barely get through it without more tears coming out, even though she had already lived and relived those moments countless times in her head. The Decay Incantation's return. Eugene's injury. Pascal nearly dying. Her life being placed on an unknown, rapidly-falling ticking clock. Cassandra sat patiently by the fireplace, slumped forward, arms drooped down between her legs out in front of her. The entire pub had gone deathly quiet, and there was no doubt in any of their minds that every person was listening intensely to Rapunzel's story. Not that they would ever speak up about it—no matter how much they cared, they would never interrupt a clearly personal moment between Rapunzel and her close friend.</p><p>When Rapunzel finished, she sighed and leaned back in her chair, pulling the sheets more tightly over her shoulders. She wiggled her toes, scrunching up the extra sheet beneath her feet, trying to find some comfort in such horrible times. She tried her best to read Cassandra's face and anticipate her reaction, but she might as well have been looking at a statue. The fire crackled behind Cass, and the thunderstorm continued its heavy attack on the roof of the Snuggly Duckling; the only sounds in a lace that was usually so full of life.</p><p>It took a full minute before Cass said anything. Her nose twitched—the most notable reaction she had to the news that her closest friend was dying.</p><p>"Huh."</p><p>Rapunzel languished in her seat. Somehow, that nothing of a response felt worse than any tears.</p><p>"I'm so sorry," Rapunzel said weakly. The ghost of a bitter smile crossed Cassandra's lips.</p><p>"What are you apologizing to me for?" she countered. "It's not my fault."</p><p>"Because you shouldn't have to have this thrown on you," Rapunzel explained. "It's not fair to drag you into this."</p><p>Cassandra snickered, finding some small comfort in Rapunzel's ever-present generosity. "Please. Like I could really just standby and let you go through this by yourself. Still, it's crazy to think that Incantation had a curse on it the whole time. You wouldn't happen to know if any of the Incantations I said also had been cursed, would you?"</p><p>"Not that I know of," Rapunzel said honestly.</p><p>"Well, then that's one less thing to worry about," Cassandra with a sigh of relief. "So, this…what's her name again? The witch?"</p><p>"Carmine Therasia Navarro de la Sombra," Rapunzel reminded her.</p><p>"Right. The witch," Cassandra nodded. "You think that she would have the cure for this? Why not just head to the Spire? They have all sorts of magical artifacts there."</p><p>"I don't think that would help. The Spire has magic, but this is a curse that was created hundreds of years ago and was lost to time. They probably wouldn't know anything about it." Rapunzel's face turned sour. "And on horseback, it would take too long to get there anyway. Going to Madrid will probably be faster."</p><p>"Well, if we want to get to Madrid, we'll have to figure out the quickest way to get there," Cassandra said with a groan. Rapunzel quickly glared at her.</p><p>"You aren't coming with me, Cass."</p><p>"Yes, I am."</p><p>"No, you're not."</p><p>"Yes, I am."</p><p>"After everything you just heard, you know how dangerous it is to be around me," Rapunzel said somberly. Cassandra just leaned forward and gave a knowing smirk.</p><p>"Yeah," she agreed, "but I'm also the one with the horse."</p><p>Rapunzel wanted to argue. She <em>badly</em> wanted to argue against that. But the more the logistics of her journey entered her mind, the more she realized that Cassandra had a point. What was she going to do to get to Madrid if she didn't have a horse of her own? She didn't see one outside, and to her knowledge, none of the regulars at the Snuggly Duckling owned one. Even if they did, she couldn't imagine riding one again after what she had done to the guard horse she stole. She could still hear its cries reverberating in her mind. Maybe letting Cassandra take her there, or even partway there, would make things easier. And while she hated to admit it, she wasn't in any condition to travel. God forbid she blacked out again while on the road and no one was there to save her again.</p><p>The very notion sickened her. The last thing she ever wanted was the need for someone to take care of her. After everything she had done to save Corona, all of the adventures she had been on, the fact that she could barely walk without tripping over herself felt like the universe was insulting her. <em>"You've done too good for yourself," </em>it was saying to her. <em>"It's not fair to have such a happily ever after. You deserve to suffer more."</em> She wanted to believe that wasn't true; if Eugene was there, he'd probably roll his eyes and laugh and tell her that she needed to stop being superstitious. He'd tell her that these things just happen, as if that was supposed to make her feel any better. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that the same forces that guided her to her destiny were now responsible for bringing her life to a premature end. Heck, maybe fulfilling her destiny was the whole reason why she was dying in the first place. She had reunited the Sundrop and the Moonstone. She saved Corona. She won, and now there was simply no more use for her. They could dispose of her like an unwanted plaything. Poof. Gone. Just like that.</p><p>Cassandra could no doubt sense her inner turmoil. She sighed and took Rapunzel's head in her hands, gently pressing their foreheads together.</p><p>"Hey, hey. Focus. Look at me" she whispered. "You're going to be okay. This is scary, I know, but we've faced things like this before. Even when it seemed like we weren't going to make it, we always managed to pull through. I'm sure this time won't be any different. We'll head to Madrid, and we'll find out more about this witch lady with the really long name, and we'll fix you right up. Then you can go right back to dealing with Fitzherbert's dumb beauty routines and Pascal crawling all over you like a roach. Good?"</p><p>Rapunzel breathed into Cassandra's touch. Since when did Cass of all people become someone who knew how to comfort others? As if these days weren't getting strange enough. Rapunzel could only imagine the chaos that was going on inside of that woman's head, but whatever worries Cassandra had, she was pushing them down all the way as far as she could, all in the name of making her feel better. That certainly wasn't healthy, but was it selfish to say that she wanted it to stay that way? To have the support of a close friend no matter what? Probably, yeah.</p><p>It was possible that Rapunzel was staring at her, because when Cassandra looked into her eyes, her cheeks suddenly flushed and she looked away toward the rest of the bar with a sneer. "Hey, assholes, you better not be eavesdropping! We're having a moment here!"</p><p>Yep—that was more the Cassandra that Rapunzel expected.</p><p>Attila pounded his fists against the table he sat at. "There's nothing else to do but listen!"</p><p>Rapunzel raised an eyebrow as Cassandra stammered uncomfortably. "Then…then find something! That's not my problem!"</p><p>"Cass, be kind," Rapunzel said gently. Cass huffed, pulling away from the Princess. She felt the warm fire kiss the back of her neck as she placed her thumb on the corner of her mouth and picked at her lip. The short-haired woman hunched over in her seat, tapping her foot against the hollowed wooden floorboards, trying to pull together her arms and bulk up her mass in a way that made her tougher, less open. It was almost like she realized that she was being too sweet toward Rapunzel and had to remind everyone that she was still a strong, determined badass.</p><p>"Fine." She glanced away, trying to refocus herself. Rapunzel had to stifle a laugh at Cassandra's desperate, brooding mug, and Cassandra's brow furrowed as she tried to brush off the sick girl's amused chuckles by changing topics. "You know we're going to have to leave soon, right?"</p><p>"Not till morning," Rapunzel stated, but Cassandra shook her head.</p><p>"No, not 'not until morning.' Like, soon. Really soon."</p><p>"In the storm?"</p><p>"Yes," Cassandra stated. "The second the storm ends, Adira is going to be coming at us. We need to put as much distance between us and the Kingdom as possible before then. That means leaving in the storm. And even then, it might not be enough."</p><p>It was something Cassandra hadn't been able to put an awful lot of thought into yet. She had been too busy trying to save the life of a cursed Princess to plan how she was going to get her all the way to Madrid unscathed. As far as she was concerned, there were three major problems she had to deal with.</p><p>One: Get to Madrid as fast as possible before Rapunzel's curse consumed her.</p><p>Two: Prevent Rapunzel from accidentally killing her with the Decay Incantation.</p><p>Three: Stop Adira from retrieving Rapunzel and likely executing her for kidnapping a Princess.</p><p>The first one was easy. She had a rather efficient route planned out: they would travel south through France, moving along its northwestern coast for four days before hitching a boat in the port city of Nantes. From there, it would be a week-long ride through the Bay of Biscay into the Cantabrian Sea, and then another three-day ride from Bilbao to Madrid. That was assuming everything went well, and hey didn't face any significant delays from Rapunzel's condition.</p><p>The second one was trickier, because how long Rapunzel would hold out on her was anyone's guess. She had <em>some</em> crafty ideas on how to avoid getting withered to death, but they were mostly short-term and carried their own risks. She would eventually need a permanent solution. A bonus would be finding something to ease Rapunzel's pain. Even snuggled up in blankets, relaxing in front of a burning flame, Cassandra could see Rapunzel fidget and flinch from the scars covering her skin.</p><p>The last one? Good God, how the hell were they going to do that? Adira was a master at tracking them down? How many times in the past did they think they crossed an untraceable path, only for that swordswoman to show up with her hands clasped behind her back and a collection of thinly-veiled insults at her disposal. No matter how quickly they moved, it might never be enough. What they needed was a way to completely throw Adira off their trail—something that would have been easier if Rapunzel hadn't told everyone where she was running off to. A disguise of some kind—or even better, a way to slow Adira down. Damn, of all the magical artifacts and scientific gizmos they encountered on their journey, not one of them was a freezing ray or something? Then again, did she really want to perform magic on Adira? Did they really need two curses do deal with?</p><p>"Is there some way we could disguise ourselves?" Rapunzel asked.</p><p>Cassandra snickered. "I was literally just thinking about that. I don't think so."</p><p>"Darn," Rapunzel sighed. "It's a shame we don't have that Shapeshifting Cloak."</p><p>"Oh, I still have the Shapeshifting Cloak."</p><p>If Rapunzel had the strength to move, she would have jumped out of her seat. "You do?"</p><p>"Yeah," Cassandra said with a shrug. "I mean, I had it when I took over Corona, and I took it with me when I left. It wasn't like anyone ever asked me for it, and Lord knows I'm not going back to visit Calliope anytime soon. So, I kept it."</p><p>"Cassandra, why didn't you say so? That's great," Rapunzel exclaimed, some color finally returning to her face. Her mind raced with endless, nearly naïve possibilities, and Cassandra had to be the one to put her down gently.</p><p>"I don't see how," she whimpered. "The cloak can only change our appearance one at a time. Adira knows we're traveling as a pair. She's going to catch up to us sooner rather than later, and she's going to know that one of us is wearing a disguise when the other isn't. The cloak is useless."</p><p>"Not if <em>we </em>aren't the ones being disguised," Rapunzel said with a smirk. Before Cassandra had a chance to protest, or question her, or even complain, Rapunzel pushed herself onto her shaky feet, feeling a surge of energy that was as powerful as her swirling imagination. She turned toward the crowded bar, where everyone had been deeply pretending not to listen to her and Cass's immensely personal conversation. She scanned the room until she saw the man who could make her wild and probably disastrous plan come true, and she pointed directly at him, her smirk full of vigor and determination that her body could not support. She collapsed back against her seat, almost toppling it over, but she smiled all the same at the man, her confidence unwavering. He did not say anything in response; he didn't like speaking all that much.</p><p>"Ulf," Rapunzel stated, "how would you like the acting role of your lifetime?"</p>
<hr/><p>Frederic paced incessantly in front of his bed. His hands were clasped behind his back. His head, heavy with guilt, hung low and swayed with each weighted step he took on the tightly-formed rug. His loose, silk clothes conformed around his bulging torso. From the safety of the master bedroom, he could hear the thunderbolts clash with the earth. His wife sat upright on the bed, her legs tucked beneath the cover of the sheets. She remained there in complete silence, her eyes slowly gliding from side-to-side as they traced her husband's footsteps. She was waiting for the inevitable.</p><p>"This is all my fault," Frederic muttered, over and over again like some kind of hateful mantra. "I should have known this would happen. I should have known she would never stay put."</p><p>"Adira will find her," Arianna said simply, not knowing whether or not she believed herself. "It's only been a few minutes. She can't have gotten far."</p><p>Frederic grimaced. "How could I let her slip away again?"</p><p>His daughter was incredible. He had known that about her ever since he first laid eyes on her. The light that she brought into his life when she returned home was enough to illuminate the darkest ocean trenches and the blackest night skies. But she was too much for any one Kingdom to contain. She had to be free. She had to reach out and take every risk that presented itself to her. It was something that he was never able to do in his youth, and in most cases, it made her so remarkable. But in times like this, where she was so sick that she could barely stand, where she could not go a single day without falling into a trance and blacking out? This was the one time he had hoped she would just stay home. But she didn't. Of course, she didn't. She was Rapunzel. Why should he have expected any differently? He should have placed a hundred guards outside her door. He should have bolted that door shut and never let her leave. He should have…he should have done <em>something</em> to keep her safe.</p><p>And now, she was gone again, and they were left waiting, completely helpless.</p><p>There was a sharp knocking on the door, and for a fleeting moment, Frederic allowed himself to get his hopes up. A foolish part of him thought that he would see his daughter enter his room and leap into his arms, deeply sorry for leaving. But, like always, his joy faded when a mere guard quietly peaked inside his door, grim and fearful. Bad news. More of it.</p><p>Arianna stayed in bed as the King marched his way down to the throne room, not even caring to properly dress himself as he stormed his way through the castle halls. His mouth had already turned into a sour mask by the time he entered the large, open chamber, and it only grew dimmer as he saw Adira kneeling in front of his throne, her head bent so low that her white braid swooped down and lay curled on the floor. She was alone. He marched before her, towering above her like some awe-consuming statue of righteousness and fury, yet she remained unphased as she delivered the news.</p><p>"We've run into a complication, Your Highness."</p><p>"Where is my daughter?" he asked her bluntly.</p><p>"That's the complication," Adira stated. "It seems like the Princess has made off with—"</p><p>"You should be going after her!" Frederic said with a violent sneer. "What are you stalling for? Every second she isn't here, we risk losing her forever!"</p><p>"The weather conditions are impeding my search, Your Highness," Adira explained. "It was possible for her to slip out from under my nose. Resuming the search in the daytime should be no problem. Which brings me to my main point—"</p><p>"It's not just about the search," Frederic cried. "She's out there all alone! You promised me that you would look after her, and I wake up in the middle of the night to find that she has vanished. What do you have to say for yourself?"</p><p>The corners of Adira's mouth twitched; it was the most she showed of her irritation. "Cassandra took her."</p><p>The air grew thick, and the King's trembling fury all too suddenly became still. The guards withheld their breath, and through the haze, the King could only muster the energy the strength for a single word.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Adira responded with the same muted enthusiasm. "Cassandra. She's back. She has Rapunzel."</p><p>King Frederic seethed, averting his gaze, attempting to fathom it in all its unexpectedness. "How…how do you know this?"</p><p>"I found her sword by the bridge," Adira explained. "She must have just arrived before we did. I can only assume that—"</p><p>The King's full fury came down upon her like the storm. "Why did you not go after her?"</p><p>Adira grimaced. "Your Highness, as I said—"</p><p>"Cassandra! Of course, it's Cassandra!" The King growled, painful memories from the past several months flooding back to him. The very name itself bore a curse in his mind nearly as terrible as the one inflicted on his daughter. It was the name of the woman who betrayed his family's trust, who spent over a year plotting to destroy his Kingdom, who infiltrated his home and usurped his throne. That woman's actions had nearly destroyed his family, his subjects, and if unchecked, her foolishness and lust for power would have consumed the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms. That was all because of <em>her</em>. And, despite all of those undeniable truths, he allowed her to walk free. He took her redemption at face value. When he requested that she be tried for her crimes, Rapunzel stepped in and convinced him that she needed to be forgiven. She promised that Cassandra would do good from there on out, even though he had no reason to believe her. Sure, she had defeated Zhan Tiri, but only after she was stripped of her own power. If she kept control of the Moonstone, would she have been so quick to turn over a new leaf? He suspected she was always picking the side of least resistance, siding with Rapunzel at the end of days in one final, desperate attempt to save her life. And still, despite all of that, he let her leave. He trusted his daughter. He gave the woman with the rotten name her freedom.</p><p>How did she repay him? By stealing his sick child in the chaos of the night. He wasn't sure what else he expected. But his rage wasn't just directed toward her; he gazed at the warrior woman kneeling before him with an anger that could only be brought out from a tormented parent.</p><p>"You let her escape," he stated forcefully. "You let her slip right between your fingers."</p><p>"Your Highness, I apologize for my failure," Adira said, collected as always. "I was concerned with Cassandra eluding me in the weather. When the rain clears, I will resume my search in full. Your daughter will be brought home safely. You have my word."</p><p>"Words mean little when it comes to Cassandra," King Frederic stated. "How do I know you didn't allow her to escape?"</p><p>"I have no love for Short Hair," Adira said bluntly. "I don't appreciate those who try to mind control me. I assure you, if I could have pursued her, I would have."</p><p>The King sneered. Whether or not he believed her was something she could not determine. He carried on as if he did.</p><p>"If Cassandra has Rapunzel, that makes everything more complicated," he mused. "Who knows where she plans on taking her, or what she wants with her. She doesn't know about the Decay Incantation. She could end up spreading that curse across the entire continent."</p><p>"I can only assume, Your Highness," Adira said plainly, "but I would say this likely won't alter anything. The Princess will almost certainly tell Short Hair about what's going on. If Cassandra is redeemed, then she's going to take Rapunzel to Madrid. Their path will be the same."</p><p>"And if Cassandra isn't redeemed? If she's still as evil as she was before?"</p><p>Adira had no answer, and the King felt ashamed for her.</p><p>"I will find them, Your Highness," Adira swore. "I promise I will bring Rapunzel back to you."</p><p>"No," the King demanded. "You will bring them <em>both </em>back to me. Cassandra has stolen the Princess of Corona. She cannot be allowed to go unpunished."</p><p>"And if she resists my attempts to bring her?" Adira asked.</p><p>The King did not answer for a long moment. Adira, after maintaining her composure for so long, finally gazed up to Frederic, awaiting his instructions. Though he was a stoic man, she could see the fragments of a struggle within him spreading to the surface. He spoke with something akin to pain when he gave her his final decision.</p><p>"You are to bring her to me <em>alive</em>, Adira. No matter the cost."</p><p>Adira bowed her head. "As you wish, Your Highness."</p><p>She stood up straight, and with one final bow at the waist, she turned and retreated quietly back into the castle. She felt the King's eyes upon her as she exited the throne room, and when she slipped into the darkened corridor beyond his view, she allowed herself to sigh.</p><p>Adira lied. She lied through her teeth. That was rare for her. Keeping secrets? Easy. She did that every weekend. Lie? That wasn't like her. She could have hunted Rapunzel through the storm. She had tracked far more difficult prey in far worse conditions. She suspected she could hunt them down in a matter of minutes. In fact, she suspected they were close by. A seasoned fighter like Cassandra would never abandon her weapon, even by accident. They were probably hiding close by, waiting for her to flee before they made off with the rain. She doubted it would have taken long to catch them, and if she had been only slightly more intuitive, slightly more driven at that moment, she would both Rapunzel and the former usurper in her grasp, and she would have nothing left to worry about. Yet she let them escape. She gave them an out.</p><p>Adira brought her fingers to her elbow; beneath the fabric of her shirt, she felt a bruise swelling on her skin. It was from when Rapunzel threw her to the ground. The Princess outsmarted her, played her like a fool. It was…impressive. Damn impressive. Not many people could get one over on her, especially not those like Rapunzel. She always knew there was more to that girl than met the eye, but she couldn't help but smile just thinking about it. It was that respect—that small, subtle, almost insignificant amount of respect—that made Adira call off her search for the night. It was the tiny possibility that maybe Rapunzel <em>did </em>have what it took to complete her journey across the sea.</p><p>And then there was Cassandra.</p><p>Adira hated that woman.</p><p>But the idea of that monster racing across the continent with the Princess by her side, trying desperately to avoid capture with her right on their tail? It was exhilarating, in a way. It was the most excited she had felt about anything in months. Restoring the Dark Kingdom was not nearly as thrilling as concealing its awful legacy, and while she loved to tell herself that she was strong and noble and virtuous, the pitiful truth was that she needed a little something more in her life. A chase—no, a <em>hunt</em>, against prey that was smart and ferocious and quicker than they appeared. Adira smirked to herself. That would be something fun. Something to test her. Something she needed. So, she gave the two of them a head start. She saw no harm in that. Though, of course, only a little one; she was dealing with a powerful curse, and she couldn't completely afford to lay it fast and loose. Still, its power was weak, and Rapunzel was careful. No one would get hurt by her small delay, likely not even the Princess. She could maintain control of the curse for a little while longer—and hey, if she couldn't, she'd likely only hurt Cassandra. Was that really a loss?</p><p>There was another crack of lightning, and Adira found a nice, comfy spot on the floor to sit in as she took a deep breath. She crossed her legs, straightened her back, and closed her eyes. There was nothing but the sound of rain hitting her senses. She would give Rapunzel until the rain stopped. Then, the hunt would begin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We've always imagined Adira as the sort of person who would respect the notion of a challenge. She's always had this great playfulness to her despite the serious nature of the things she talked about, so we're like ninety percent confident that she'd let Rapunzel get a small advantage before she hunted her down like a wild animal. Also, our headcanon doubts that everyone would just forgive Cassandra as easily as Rapunzel and Eugene. Especially the people closest to her, or closest to the Moonstone. You know, she helped almost destroyed the world and all that. makes holiday dinners really uncomfortable.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The First Day of Many</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and Cassandra begin their first day on their journey to Madrid. Things immediately get complicated.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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      <p>Eugene once compared to Cassandra to a thunderstorm. <em>"You're cold, hard, and make everyone miserable,"</em> he told her with a smirk and his usual arrogant swagger. She didn't mind that it was meant as an insult, though. She was inclined to agree. She loved thunderstorms ever since she was a kid, and she always thought of herself and her journey for greatness as a streak of lightning amidst an otherwise blackened sky. Plus, what was there not to love about weather that could kill a person?</p>
      <p>But there was another benefit to the heavy rains and winds currently beating down on her head as she pushed Fidella faster along a heavily-worn dirt trail. It was cover. Security. As long as the rain was there, she was safe. <em>They </em>were safe. And safety was the only thing that mattered to her.</p>
      <p>She actually hated it when the rain ended, even though it drastically reduced the likelihood of her freezing to death. She had given Rapunzel everything. Her cloak. Her gloves. She even forced the Princess into wearing her boots so she could keep her feet warm, even though Rapunzel complained more about that than her damned curse. She wrapped Rapunzel up like a baby in the rags from the Snuggly Duckling so that not even a single drop of water would touch a single hair on her pretty little head—even if it meant she would get drenched. Which she did. Tremendously. Her hair clung to her face in a sopping wet mop that blocked her vision, and her black socks were so thoroughly soaked through that she was certain her toes were going to fall off. It was…unpleasant.</p>
      <p>Actually, the more correct term was that it absolutely fucking sucked.</p>
      <p>She stripped her mind of all thoughts aside from keeping Rapunzel safe. It was the only reason she was able to keep herself awake, and even that was one of the toughest struggles of her life. Her hands gripped the reins so tightly that they went numb, but the rest of her body shook so violently that she threatened to fall off her horse with every step. But the one thing that she was able to find focus on was Rapunzel clinging to her. Her arms hugging around her waist. The young Princess's shivering against her spine. It served as a constant reminder of what she was trying to protect. She kept herself upright through some miracle, all the way through sunrise, when the rain finally came to a stop. Six and a half hours. That was how long she rode in the dark. Six and a half hours in the goddamn rain.</p>
      <p>And she still hated it when it stopped.</p>
      <p>When the last drops of water trickled down the slope of her nose, and the gentle rays of sunshine gave her her first taste of warmth in hours, she finally ordered Fidella to a halt. The horse readily agreed to a break, and as they stopped in the middle of their path, Cassandra was finally able to look at her surroundings, parting her damp strands of hair from her view. It was the first time she really paid any attention to where they were heading, and she was proud to say that after six and a half hours of non-stop racing through some of the cruelest weather she had ever encountered, her environment looked…</p>
      <p>Exactly the same as it did before. Literally the same. Forest. Trees. Mud. Lots of mud. A dirt path that turned sour and had no end in sight. Even the sun that did hit her had to do it through a heavy weave of leaves and tree branches. Somehow, the wind and the rain managed to break through the canopy just fine, but the sunlight? No. Of course that had to be as far away from possible. Cassandra sighed, looking back at the road she left behind. Once the mud dried, it would be nearly impossible for any horse or carriage to follow them. The canopy of leaves could shield them from above. And, if Rapunzel's insane plan worked—it wouldn't, but if it did, then that would buy them even more time. Time…time was good. They needed as much of it as they could get. If they kept pushing forward, she couldn't imagine how far ahead of Adira they might get.</p>
      <p>And then she saw Rapunzel's face, sticking out from beneath her thick hood. The only word Cassandra could use to describe it was misery.</p>
      <p>"Cass…are we resting for now?"</p>
      <p>Her voice was weak, and Cassandra's resolve bent like twigs in a roaring flame.</p>
      <p>"Not really," Cass stated, turning back toward the long muddy path ahead of them. "This is our best chance to get ahead of the others, before the road seizes up. We can't afford to waste it."</p>
      <p>"Are you sure?" Rapunzel said desperately. "Ulf should be able to distract them, at least for a little while. We should be able to stop—"</p>
      <p>"Raps, we can't risk it," Cassandra said bluntly, squeezing the reins tighter. She bowed her head and tried her hardest not to look back at the vulnerable Princess. "If they catch us, they'll lock us up, and we won't be able to cure you. We have to keep moving."</p>
      <p>"But you don't look well," Rapunzel stated. "You're shivering. You shouldn't push yourself too far."</p>
      <p>"Really? <em>You're</em> telling me not to overwork myself?" Cassandra huffed. "That's cute. I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse."</p>
      <p>Cassandra didn't see Rapunzel sneer at her, but she could feel it. Something in the air change whenever Rapunzel's normally sunshine personality turned grim.</p>
      <p>"Cass. Listen to me." Her words were as sharp as the gaze Cassandra felt burrowing into the back of her skull. "We rode through that entire storm all night. I'm cold and tired, and if I'm cold and tired wearing all this, then you are worse. You are not getting sick on me. We are stopping."</p>
      <p>She considered fighting back. She was in charge here, not Rapunzel. She was the navigator. The warrior. The protector. She set the schedule. Who did Rapunzel even think she was challenging her like that? She was the one who got her stuck in this mess in the first place. Well, technically, it was the curse's fault, but they never would have gotten that curse if Rapunzel had listened to her back in that stupid tree all those years ago. Really, it was still her fault. Cassandra knew that she should just ignore Rapunzel. Ignore her and keep riding. It would have upset her, but it was for her health and safety. That was what mattered most.</p>
      <p>Except she <em>was </em>cold. And she <em>was</em> tired. And her stomach was growling. And her arms were trembling. And she felt like she was going to pass out at any second. If there was one thing worse than any of that, however, it was the knowledge that Rapunzel was right.</p>
      <p>"Fine," Cass said, keeping her eyes forward. "I know this area a little. There's a village a few miles ahead we can stop at. Okay?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel stayed silent for a long moment. Cassandra felt something uncomfortable grow in her stomach as the silence lingered until suddenly, she felt Rapunzel arms hug her more firmly around her midsection, and she felt the girl's head press into the back of her shoulder. She could practically feel her gracious smile through her tunic.</p>
      <p>"Thank you."</p>
      <p>Cassandra rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to smile back. "Yeah, well…if the guards catch us, don't cry for me when I get hanged."</p>
      <p>"No promises," Rapunzel sighed. Cassandra gave a slight crack of the reins, and Fidella continued forward at a gingerly pace. The sun, faint as it was between the cracks in the trees, was enough to permeate Cassandra's pale skin and take away some of the bitter kisses from the rain. She steadied herself on the saddle, trying to get accustomed to Rapunzel's passionate grip on her torso. The mud had yet to seize, and every step the horse made sent Cassandra and Rapunzel bouncing up and down on her back. It was slight—nothing out of the ordinary for any basic galivanting through the woods that they weren't used to. Yet, with the torrential downpour gone and her senses restored, it wasn't long before Cassandra could hear something that concerned her: Rapunzel's pained breathing into the back of her neck.</p>
      <p>"You all right?" Cass asked gently.</p>
      <p>"Oh. Yeah." Rapunzel spoke hesitantly. "It's just…I think a scar opened up on my stomach, and the horse…"</p>
      <p>"Is it bad? I could take a look at it."</p>
      <p>"No, no. It's fine. I can handle it."</p>
      <p>Cassandra didn't buy that for a goddamn second. Still, it wasn't like stopping now would do them any good, not when they were so close to the village. She needed another plan.</p>
      <p>"Hey, why don't you tell me what's been happening these past few months?" Cassandra suggested. "You know, take your mind off it? I see you got the ring on your finger, so Eugene either got some courage or you found another guy really quickly."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel laughed thoughtfully. "No, no, it's…yeah, we got married. Pretty soon after you went away, actually. The whole kingdom showed up. There were flowers and dancing, and this massive twelve-tiered cake that must have taken forever to make…and of course, Eugene insisted on showing off his singing to the entire reception."</p>
      <p>"Wow," Cass snickered. "You know, I always regretted missing your wedding, but now? Yep. Glad I skipped."</p>
      <p>"You would have hated it," Rapunzel admitted. "I can't imagine trying to fit you into a bridesmaid dress."</p>
      <p>"I would have been fine until Fitzherbert said something about it," Cass noted. "In all seriousness though…is it everything you hoped it would be?"</p>
      <p>"Huh?"</p>
      <p>"Being married to Eugene. Being Princess," Cassandra explained. "Is it really the perfect happily ever after you always wanted?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel snuggled deeper into Cassandra's shoulder. She didn't have to think for too long to come up with an answer. "Honestly? I think…yeah. It is. I mean, it's not <em>perfect</em> perfect. There's a lot of work to get done. Sometimes we're so busy we don't even see each other all day. There's a lot of Corona to clean up, and we do still fight from time to time. But…it's hard to explain, but I feel happy."</p>
      <p>"You're always happy," Cassandra stated.</p>
      <p>"Yeah, but different happy," Rapunzel said warmly. "Like, everything just kind of fits together in a way that it didn't before. I think I'm actually content now. Like, I found the things that really mattered to me. I don't get to go on adventures anymore, but I have him. And I have my parents, and Max and Pascal, and…well, I have everything I really need now. I'm happier now than I think I've ever been in my whole life."</p>
      <p>Everything she ever really needed.</p>
      <p>And everyone.</p>
      <p>Oh.</p>
      <p>Cassandra cleared her throat and forced out a smile. "That's…that's great, Raps. I'm really happy for you."</p>
      <p>"Thanks," Rapunzel said. She seemed completely unaware of the effect her words had on her friend as her thoughts drifted back to simpler times. Why would she when Cassandra barely noticed it herself? It was just the smallest little tweak on her heartstrings, something that she had spent many years training herself to ignore. It wasn't so much a pain, but a gentle uneasiness that lured its way into her gut and festered there until it became unpalatable. She learned a long time ago how to plunge it back into the emptiness before it ever reached that level. Usually, a distraction worked. A simple one would do fine.</p>
      <p>"Still…<em>Rapunzel</em> <em>Fitzherbert</em>," Cassandra said, pronouncing the words with an intentional twang that made them sound unnatural. "That has to be quite the experience: waking up to him every morning."</p>
      <p>"I'll admit it: Having my own room was nice," Rapunzel sighed. "But having the company is nice. Someone you can snuggle up to and—"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, yeah, don't need to hear the details," Cassandra said quickly. She tried to snicker playfully, though it came out more insulting than she intended. Unsure if Rapunzel caught her tone, she followed up. "Just, you know, when you have seventeen kids that all share his ego, make sure one of them is named after me, okay?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel shrugged. "Actually, we were just talking about kids a week ago." A week ago. Felt like an eternity. Rapunzel's tongue rolled in her mouth as she told Cassandra the truth. "We both decided, since we were so busy, and since we still don't know how we'll get used to married life, and since we're young anyway—"</p>
      <p>"You aren't going to have kids?" Cassandra said with surprise, finally glancing over her shoulders. Rapunzel smiled nervously, shaking her head and trying to hide herself behind Cassandra's cloak.</p>
      <p>"Right now!" the Princess clarified. "We aren't having kids <em>now</em>. For at least a few years. We spent so long traveling around the world, not sure if the next day was going to kill us—why rush into things? We have our whole lives ahead of us."</p>
      <p>Cassandra simply laughed, causing Rapunzel's cheeks to turn an even brighter hue. "Hey, more power to you. God knows I'm never having kids."</p>
      <p>"Please," Rapunzel said supportively, trying to regain her composure. "I'm sure you'll find someone to settle down with eventually."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, and maybe I'll find a nice knife I can use to slit my own throat."</p>
      <p>"Come on. You can't be a wandering loner forever." Rapunzel rolled her eyes, but they suddenly went wide and she straightened herself up on the back of the horse, startled at her own lack of action. She spoke with excitement. "Hey, why are we even talking about my problems? That's boring. What about <em>you</em>? You've been off on your own for months, traveling the world! I want to hear about <em>all </em>of your adventures."</p>
      <p>Cassandra blinked.</p>
      <p>"All of them?"</p>
      <p>"Yes!" Rapunzel said. It was the most eager she had been since the curse began, which only exacerbated the worsening pit in Cassandra's stomach. It wasn't going away. Why was ignoring it not working?</p>
      <p>"I mean…" Cassandra stammered. "There's a lot."</p>
      <p>"I don't care. It's something positive. I need that right now."</p>
      <p>Oh, great. Of course.</p>
      <p>"So, tell me," Rapunzel said enthusiastically. "Have you been fighting off thieves and pirates? Serving royalty and defending crowns?"</p>
      <p>"Um…"</p>
      <p>"Slaying wild beasts? Monsters?"</p>
      <p>"Well, you know, it's been…it's been slow to get going," Cassandra said carefully. She never thought she'd actually have to explain herself to Rapunzel. She left with such bravado, such optimism, and she could remember the pride in Rapunzel's eyes when she waved her off into the unknown. To tell the full truth would be crushing.</p>
      <p>"I'm sure it is," Rapunzel said passively. "I mean, you can't go saving the world every day. But you've had to do <em>some </em>exciting stuff. Don't be shy about bragging."</p>
      <p>Cass made sure to keep her face forward so Rapunzel couldn't see her floundering. She had to come up with <em>something</em>. The last four months hadn't been a complete waste of time, right? She knew she could find something that stuck out from the chores and busywork, the daily muck and grind of travel and mundanity. Something grand and vibrant.</p>
      <p>"Well, I <em>did </em>save a few children from a pack of hungry wolves recently," Cassandra said slyly.</p>
      <p>Bullshit. Total bullshit.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel gasped. "Wow. That's great to hear. Was it hard?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, kind of! There were, like, ten of them."</p>
      <p>There were two wolves.</p>
      <p>"And the kids didn't make it easy, running around and screaming their heads off."</p>
      <p>They were chickens.</p>
      <p>"Got a few bite marks, but otherwise, mission accomplished."</p>
      <p>She waved her sword at the wolves once and they ran off.</p>
      <p>She felt so stupid. She was past lying. She was better than this. Rapunzel clung to her like a child would cling to their mother, and that simple, fumbling touch clawed doubt into her flesh. She should have just come clean. It's not like Rapunzel was going to laugh at her. It was Rapunzel—honestly, she would probably just be very condescending. By accident, of course, rather than malice. Rapunzel would pat her on the head and tell her that she needed to keep her chin up, and that everything would work out soon, and that she was trying her best, and Cassandra would just want to roll over and die. Or worse—God, so much worse—Rapunzel would just feel guilty for ever letting her leave on her hopeless quest in the first place. She needed Rapunzel to stay positive. Lord knew she needed it.</p>
      <p>"I mean, it is what it is," Cassandra said wistfully. "Saving people kind of gets boring when you do it so often. It's not as good as leading a Kingdom, but I'm doing what I can."</p>
      <p>"I think that's great, Cass." Rapunzel's words were genuine, and she hugged her friend as tightly as she could. She wasn't exactly warm from being out in the rain, but Cassandra felt the heat travel through her chest as Rapunzel snuggled up to her and breathed into her shoulder. "You're doing a lot of good in the world. I know that it must have been hard leaving all of this behind, but…" Rapunzel smiled fondly. "I'm <em>really</em> proud of you."</p>
      <p>Any warmth the hug brought Cassandra was instantly chilled by the surging pit in her gut. She grimaced, knowing Rapunzel couldn't see it.</p>
      <p>"Thanks, Raps."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>River Bay Village was an old place of simple dreams and little accomplishment. Traveling along its road brought Rapunzel the same uneasy blend of comfort and dull sadness that came with seeing potential cut brutally short before it hit its peak. The houses all looked the same; old cottages that lined up neatly with one another alongside an unpaved dirt street. Its square, where usually the town would be at its most robust, was filled with nary a person in sight. The few people she did see glared at her with slight suspicion yet ultimately cast their eyes away before they could give her a second thought. They, along with the place they lived, were nothing special. She felt almost guilty. The people of River Bay Village were living close to the outstanding light of Corona. It was unquestionable that something had to remain within the Kingdom's shadow.</p>
      <p>Still, she couldn't let herself linger on their sadness, because she was certain they wouldn't want her to. They would probably reject her pity if she ever offered it. She focused instead on finding something to eat and drink, and also rest, even if it was for just an hour or two. Rather, Cassandra was in charge of finding that. A few people passed them by pushing wheelbarrows loaded with heavy, empty clay pots that she could nearly fit herself inside of. When Rapunzel recommended asking them for directions, Cassandra turned her down. They were too busy, she said. She had a better idea, she said. Cassandra led her through what could only generously be called the center of the town, and without saying a word or even knowing the topography of the village, she managed to steer them toward what she could only assume was the town's pub, thick and wooden and more worn out than an old shoe.</p>
      <p>Because Cassandra had her priorities in order.</p>
      <p>Cass didn't say a word as she parked Fidella outside and kicked herself off her mare. She landed carefully to avoid dipping her exposed socks directly into the mud, swinging herself onto the pub's wooden porch to keep herself dry. She gave Fidella a gentle, appreciative rub on her neck before tying her to the post.</p>
      <p>"I'm going to go scope this place out," Cass stated. "You wait here, Raps."</p>
      <p>"Wait. I'm coming with you," Rapunzel said in return, but when as she tried to step off the horse, Cassandra scolded her.</p>
      <p>"No, you are staying until I make sure everything is okay." Cassandra looked around for eavesdroppers and then lowered her voice. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be talking to people. You're sort of famous."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel rolled her eyes and stepped off the horse anyway, taking extra care not to injure herself or place any strain on her stomach. She gave Fidella a loving scratch along her chin, and then joined Cassandra on the porch.</p>
      <p>"Don't worry," she said calmly. "I doubt they even know I'm supposed to be missing here. And besides, most people don't recognize me without my hair anyway. Oh, and one last thing." Before Cassandra could protest, Rapunzel stripped off both of the heavy, cumbersome boots that had been forced onto her feet, and she dumped them into Cass's arms with a smirk and a wiggle of her newly freed toes. "These are yours."</p>
      <p>As Cassandra groaned and hurried to put back on her boots, Rapunzel strolled straight into the bar, eager and unassuming as ever. When she pushed open the surprisingly unlocked door to the ancient establishment, she was hit with a dingy scent and a feeling of misery that was more compacted than it was outside. The barstools were turned upside down and the round wooden tables were cracked and worn out from seeing hundreds of pointed elbows crash into them for arm-wrestling competitions among desperate strongmen. Miraculously, despite it being just past the break of dawn, the bar itself was occupied: a woman, dark-skinned, strong-jawed, hair loose and frazzled and a steely gaze that could melt the hollow walls around her, stood cleaning the glasses that had been leftover from a particularly rowdy crowd earlier during the rainy evening. When her eyes locked with Rapunzel's she grimaced. Rapunzel waved.</p>
      <p>"Hello, there!" the Princess said cheerfully, walking up quickly to the bar and leaning over it with a pleasant smile on her face. Cassandra entered shortly after her, and the second she saw the spring in Rapunzel's step, she faceplanted hard and ran after her to stop her from saying anything embarrassing.</p>
      <p>"I aint serving drinks," the bartender said coldly. "My shift ends in fifteen minutes, and you aren't my problem."</p>
      <p>"Oh, we're not here for drinks," Rapunzel stated. "My name is Raaaaa…Raa, uh—"</p>
      <p>Shoot. Fake name. Needed a fake name.</p>
      <p>"Razzunzel. Razzunzel Finkher…ber…witz. And this is Cass Finkherberwitz. We just came to ask you a few questions."</p>
      <p>The bartender glared at them, her eyes scanning them up and down for trouble. She paid extra attention to Rapunzel, who must have only been seen as a crazy person buried beneath a cloak, drenched from the rain and yet grinning like a hyena not even a few minutes into daylight. She probably wondered whether or not she was about to be robbed. Rapunzel guessed that she thought they were innocent—though certainly strange—because she didn't show any signs of panic. She sneered and spat into a spittoon that rested on the floor across the room.</p>
      <p>"Jane. What do you want?"</p>
      <p>"We were wondering if you knew where we could get some food and drink," Cassandra said, notably less enthusiastic than her companion.</p>
      <p>"Well, I got plenty of drink, but I ain't serving ya," the bartender named Jane said, motioning to the line-up of liquors she had behind her. "As for food, merchants tend to set up shop at eleven. If you stick around until then, you might be lucky enough to snatch a tomato."</p>
      <p>"We can't wait until eleven. We're just passing through," Cassandra stated. "Is there a reason why you won't serve us?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah. Just said it. My shift ends in fifteen minutes," Jane repeated.</p>
      <p>"I don't get it. Why is this bar open now anyway?" Rapunzel asked innocently. "Isn't it a bit unusual to go drinking during the day?"</p>
      <p>"It was until a few months ago," Jane noted darkly. "Before everything went to shit. Now, people do nothing but drink because drinking is all there is to do. Hence, the bar stays open. Twenty-four hours. Seven days a week. Except during church hours."</p>
      <p>"What do you mean? Did something happen to this village?"</p>
      <p>"Hell yes, something happened. Our entire livelihoods ended," Jane stated. "River Bay Village had three things going for it. Fish. Tomatoes. Purified Healing Jelly. Things used to be pleasant around here. Not good, as in objectively speaking, but passable. But when those damn black rocks came here, and that eclipse struck, everything around these parts just seemed to slowly die off. Fish stopped swimming down these banks. Soil wasn't as fertile. Plants wouldn't grow. Now, everything sucks. At least the alcohol stayed the same."</p>
      <p>"Wait, wait, go back a second," Cassandra said impatiently. "Did you say Purified Healing Jelly? What the hell is that?"</p>
      <p>"The PHJ? That's our town specialty," Jane said with a shrug. "Do you want the short explanation or the one with the legend and the mysticism and the excitement?"</p>
      <p>"Short version—"</p>
      <p>"The legend one," Rapunzel said quickly, a glimmer in her green eye. "Tell me, please."</p>
      <p>Cassandra felt herself die a little inside, but before she could get too upset, Jane matched her unenthusiasm.</p>
      <p>"Nah, I'll tell the short version," the bartender said bluntly. "Basically, there's a cave a mile away here north of the river. In it is this endangered species of wasp that hibernates and produces this sticky blue jelly compound. I guess it'd be more like honey, technically, but whatever. I didn't name it. Anyway, you take pounds and pounds of the blue stuff, and you break it down and refine it and purify it, and what you're left with is this tiny vile of darker blue stuff that heals everything you put it on."</p>
      <p>"Heals anything?" Cassandra said in shock.</p>
      <p>"Well, maybe not <em>anything</em>," Jane said unsurely. "I don't know if it'd reattach your foot or nothing. But put a glob of that on a nasty scar, and it goes away in a day. Powerful stuff. I don't get how it works. Probably enzymes or magic or something. Not my problem."</p>
      <p>A solution that healed scars? Rapunzel and Cass glanced at each other, easily reading their minds. Would they be able to fix Rapunzel's scars with a substance like that? Sure, they wouldn't be able to undo the curse, but they would at least be able to ease some of her suffering. That was certainly worth pursuing, wasn't it?</p>
      <p>"So, this Purified Healing Jelly," Rapunzel said optimistically. "You wouldn't know where we could get some of that, would you?"</p>
      <p>"Sure, I do," Jane nodded. "Right now, you can get it…"</p>
      <p>"Yes? Yes?" Rapunzel said eagerly.</p>
      <p>"Nowhere."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel's smile flattened. "Nowhere?"</p>
      <p>"Nope. Not anymore," said Jane. "Back before everything sucked, it was still hard to come by. It was a seasonal harvest, and right around the time it was done, these Eastern European merchants would swoop by the village and buy up every last vial they could get their hands on. We never even got the chance to market the stuff to Corona because these ladies would just come and swoop up all the product. Like, it was good money, but jeez. The market was dead. Now, it's deader. When the Eclipse happened, it must have woken the queen wasp from her hibernation. We send people in to get the jelly, and instead, they come out screaming and covered in stings and bites and blisters—if they even come out at all. We haven't been able to harvest in months. So much for jelly."</p>
      <p>"You wouldn't happen to have an extra vial laying around though?" Cassandra asked inquisitively. To her delight, Jane nodded thoughtfully.</p>
      <p>"As a matter of fact, I have one container I bought a few years back that I keep stores away. I don't think its as potent as it used to be, but if you are interested, I'd be more than interested in selling it to you."</p>
      <p>"Really?" Rapunzel said, her hope restored. "That would be wonderful? How much would you like?"</p>
      <p>Jane did not even hesitate when she answered.</p>
      <p>"Six hundred pieces of gold."</p>
      <p>Aaaaaaaaaaand there went the hope again.</p>
      <p>"Six <em>hundred</em> pieces of gold?" Cassandra asked furiously as Rapunzel simply slumped against the bar counter. "Are you crazy? We're not paying that. I don't even think we <em>can </em>pay that."</p>
      <p>"We're talking about a rare commodity here. I know what's worth what," Jane said sternly. "If you don't want to buy, fine. Get out of my bar. My shift ends in seven minutes anyway."</p>
      <p>Cassandra groaned, frustrated. Great. They were cold, tired, hungry, thirsty, and now they had just been denied an opportunity to make their lives easier. Just great. If their last adventure had been marked by excitement and good fortune, then this one was already shaping up to be a complete fucking disaster. Every second they were wasting in that bar not refueling or gaining ground was a second that Adira and the Royal Guard were inevitably catching up with them. They had no time to be speaking with the bartender any longer. Cassandra, sensing the conversation had reached its natural dead end, turned to leave.</p>
      <p>However, before she could go, Rapunzel grabbed onto her arm with one gloved hand and held her in place.</p>
      <p>"Maybe there's some other way we could earn that vial from you," the Princess suggested. Jane crossed her arms suspiciously.</p>
      <p>"Like how? You want to take my shift?"</p>
      <p>"No," Rapunzel said, pulling Cassandra in close, "but my friend and I are seasoned adventurers. Maybe we can sort out this queen wasp problem you're having! That way, you and your village can get access to the jelly, and everyone can go back about their lives like they were before."</p>
      <p>Jane snickered. "Hey, if you want to go kill yourself in that cave like everyone else, go for it. No skin off my back. I'll just be here for the next three minutes until my shift is done, and then I'm napping. Okay?"</p>
      <p>"Okay!" Rapunzel said cheerfully, leading Cassandra out of the bar as the warrior tried to protest the sudden bargain that had just been made with her own life. "Don't you worry, Jane. One cleared jelly cave coming right up!"</p>
      <p>What? What was happening? Why was she being dragged by the arm? Why was she suddenly outside the bar? Why was Rapunzel so upbeat all of a sudden? Why? What? How? Why?</p>
      <p>Rapunzel closed the door behind them, and Cassandra wrestled free from the Princess's grasp, exasperated.</p>
      <p>"What did you just sign us up for, Raps?" Cass asked wildly. Rapunzel remained incredibly calm.</p>
      <p>"Don't worry, Cass. It's a cave with a creepy bug inside of it," she said simply. "We've dealt with angry insects before. We go over there, clean out the cave, get the Healing Jelly, and then we can continue on our way."</p>
      <p>"Raps, we <em>cannot</em> go fighting off angry wasps and monsters," Cassandra said passionately. "For one, we have to keep moving, and two, we aren't in any shape to fight anything right now."</p>
      <p>"Please, we've fought tons of crazy things," Rapunzel said flippantly. "And you've had all sorts of experience fighting things on your own. I'm sure you could handle it all by yourself if you needed to."</p>
      <p>Cassandra looked at the floor in shame, though Rapunzel didn't pick up on her cross emotions.</p>
      <p>"Well, you see…"</p>
      <p>"Plus," Rapunzel continued, her smile becoming somewhat bitter, "it would be really, <em>really</em> nice if I didn't have to feel these scars anymore."</p>
      <p>Like a tidal wave, Cassandra's apprehensions were washed away. Suddenly, the cheerfulness behind Rapunzel's smile seemed all the more artificial. The scope of their journey came into focus. Just how much pain was Rapunzel hiding from her behind that bright façade?</p>
      <p>"I mean," Rapunzel said with a casual shrug, "what could really go wrong?"</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Nothing ever goes right for Cassandra, does it? It made sense to us that she'd probably have a slow start on her path to redemption, and maybe she might still be clinging to a few of her old bad habits. Like, she was pretty evil only a few months ago. We can cut her some slack there. But we hope this chapter demonstrated this story won't be one huge angst pile. It'll still be mostly that. Just not exclusively that. Maybe.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the end, they didn't get much resting done, which Cassandra thought was the whole point of them stopping in the first place. The instant Rapunzel got the whiff of an adventure, she was up on her feet no matter how tired she was. During a normal adventure, where life and death were mere milliseconds apart, that could be rather useful. When the Princess was suffering from a curse that was slowly draining her of all her energy, it was a nuisance. Half an hour was all they allowed themselves, drinking water from a nearby well and doing their best to dry themselves from the heavy rains of the night before. And then, they were off on their way.</p><p>"How big do you think the wasp is going to be?" Rapunzel asked curiously.</p><p>"Why are you so convinced that it's going to be a <em>giant</em> wasp?" Cassandra nagged her. "The bartender just said it was a wasp. She said nothing about its size."</p><p>"But it probably <em>is</em> gigantic," Rapunzel reasoned. "If it was able to chase off so many workers, it has to be pretty big, right?"</p><p>"As long as it doesn't shoot fire at us, I think we'll manage."</p><p>The cave was located exactly where Jane the Bartender said it would be: on the north end of town, just past the thick river bay that served as the village's namesake. Past a deep weave of trees, it rested, hidden in the shade and sticking out of a massive grey rock structure that swept into the leaves above. The area in front of the cave had been cleared, no doubt by the workers to allow themselves easier access to the valuable goods within. A few wheelbarrows laid abandoned on its outskirts, massive clay pots strewn about the floor carelessly, cracked and bristled. The workers cleared out in a hurry. Cassandra shifted her shoulders, feeling the weight of her sword on her back.</p><p>Cassandra climbed off Fidella's back and assisted Rapunzel down before taking a step toward the entrance of the cave. She expected to see nothing but darkness, yet much to her surprise—and Rapunzel's limitless fascination—she could see a bright blue light emanating from deep within the cave structure, illuminating the glistening rock by its mouth. Rapunzel peered daintily into the dark, leaning forward as her eyes scanned the rough stone. Cassandra kept a careful eye on her to make sure she didn't tumble over or enter without her supervision.</p><p>"So, this is definitely the place," Cassandra said with a grunt, adjusting her belt. "There's at least one mad wasp queen in there. Probably a lot of mad wasp babies. You don't have any allergies, do you?"</p><p>"Not that I know of," Rapunzel said with a shrug. "I don't know if I've ever been stung by a bee, now that I think about it."</p><p>"Wasps aren't bees," Cass corrected her. "Bees sting you once and they die. Wasps sting you until <em>you </em>die. That's the difference."</p><p>"Either way, it doesn't sound pleasant."</p><p>"Exactly," Cass stated. "Which is why you aren't going in."</p><p>Rapunzel took the news like she had just been stabbed in the heart. "What? Of course, I'm going in there with you."</p><p>"And why would I let you do that?" Cassandra asked, unsheathing her blade and examining it without giving Rapunzel so much as a second glance.</p><p>"Because it's dangerous and I'm not letting you go in alone." The Princess's gaze turned harsh and judgmental, and Cassandra had to steel her nerves to prevent herself from immediately giving in.</p><p>"Raps, I appreciate your concern," Cassandra sighed carefully, "but the whole reason I'm here is to get you safely to Madrid. I'm not putting you in any more harm's way than necessary, and this? Giant murder wasps? You aren't going in there, especially not in your condition."</p><p>Rapunzel sneered. The blue scar on her face scrunched up and stuck out from beneath the cover of the hood on her cloak. "And if you need help?"</p><p>"How are you supposed to help me exactly?" Cassandra argued. "Even if you weren't so sick that you were going to fall over any second—which you are—you don't have magic, indestructible hair anymore, Raps. You also don't have magic sun incantations, and last time I checked, there aren't any plants that grow frying pans on them, so you don't have that either. You'd kind of be useless in there."</p><p>Cassandra didn't like the look of frustration on Rapunzel's face. A certain helpless was seeping in that came through her eyes and caused her so much shame that she had to turn and walk back toward Fidella. Cassandra immediately regretted the words that just came out of her mouth. <em>Useless</em>. No, not useless. Just…well, something like that. But she didn't mean it the way Rapunzel thought she did. She was certain of that. She knew that feeling of powerlessness all too well, and how easy it was to take a hold of a person's mind and cause them to turn dark. It was hard to think about, but Rapunzel lived most of her life without any power at all, stranded in a tower at the whim of their cruel and selfish mother. That state of mind that created was toxic, and Cassandra realized all too late that she might have just unwittingly forced her best friend back into it. Cassandra tried to say something comforting, but before she could, she heard Rapunzel cry.</p><p>Wait, that wasn't right. Not a cry—a laugh. A slow, almost cocky laugh.</p><p>Rapunzel returned to Fidella, flippantly flipping open the bags slung off the mare's back and rummaging through it. She turned to Cassandra with a confident smirk, and to Cass's bewilderment, she pulled out a thick, cast iron frying pan, ten inches across.</p><p>"Well then," Rapunzel said innocently, "it's a good thing I've got this with me."</p><p>Cassandra's mouth dropped to the floor.</p><p>"What…why was that in my bag?"</p><p>"Jane gave it to me," Rapunzel said casually, tossing the frying pan into the air and expertly catching it before proudly slinging it over her shoulder. "I went back in and asked her if she had one while you were getting water, and then I snuck it into your bag."</p><p>"You did…but…"</p><p>Cassandra was at a complete loss for words. Rapunzel sauntered toward the cave, rejuvenated from the familiar presence of a frying pan in her hand. It was like her arm was complete, and she strolled up to the cave entrance ready to face any challenge that was awaiting her inside. And worst of all, she had that <em>smirk</em>. That smirk of getting something over her friend, that stupid, cocky smirk of knowing that she was getting her way and there wasn't a single damn thing Cassandra could do to stop her. That smirk that crossed her face every time she openly threw herself into danger and kissed death on the cheek before barely making it away with her life intact. Cassandra wanted to be mad. She <em>should </em>have been mad. In a right world, she would have taken that stupid frying pan and smashed it to pieces, tied Rapunzel to a tree, and left her there while she did the hideous work of clearing out the hive.</p><p>Yet, for just a moment, when she was standing in the shadow of the cave with her hood pulled back, her weapon confidently in her hand and her gaze transfixed on the next adventure, Rapunzel almost looked like her healthy, normal self. And that, all by itself, was enough for Cassandra to lower her guard and begrudgingly accept a deal that she knew was wrong.</p><p>"Fine. You can come," Cass sighed. "But you are staying behind me at all times. Got it?"</p><p>Rapunzel bowed and gestured into the cave. "Lead the way, oh noble Cassandra."</p><p>Cassandra didn't need the mockery, but she resisted the urge to complain if it would lift her traveling partner's spirits. She took point heading into the cave, keeping her sword at the ready in case any giant insect came flying unexpectedly toward her.</p><p>The cave structure was unlike anything Cassandra had ever seen before. The tunnel was narrow, bending down one long path deeper into the earth's surface. The stone on the walls was smoothed and polished, carved into steady overlapping layers, like stripes that invited them further along into the cave structure. From the dark, jagged edges where one layer of black stone overlapped the next, a thick blue substance pooled out, glooping into big sticky piles on the floor that Cassandra had to actively step over to avoid dirtying her boots any further. It glowed miraculously in the dark, lighting the path forward, leaving the two of them no choice but to venture forward. They marched forward eagerly, and soon the entrance of the cave was hidden out of sight, and they had nothing except each other, the blue light, and a very, very, <em>very </em>faint humming sound coming from deeper within the cave.</p><p>That, and also the smell.</p><p>"So, um, this smells awful," Rapunzel said, waving her hand in front of her face.</p><p>"Yep. It's a big insect cave. What did you expect?"</p><p>"I don't know. I was hoping it would maybe smell like honey," Rapunzel admitted.</p><p>"Again, wasps aren't bees. They don't make honey."</p><p>"Right. I guess they make jelly. Or whatever this is." Rapunzel casually swiped two fingers along the edge of the stone and scooping up some of the strange blue gel. She pulled it through her fingers, watching it slowly drip down to the floor. It had the viscosity of bad shampoo and smelled so bad Rapunzel nearly gagged when she brought it to her nose. Hopefully, the purified version of the substance would smell more pleasant. She didn't exactly want to rub any of it on her wounds at the moment. "So, now that we're here, what's your plan for putting the wasps to sleep?"</p><p>Cass froze in her tracks, and Rapunzel stopped just short of bumping into her friend.</p><p>"Wait, back to sleep?" Cassandra said, confused. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>"Well, the wasps were hibernating before. We should put the queen back to sleep," Rapunzel explained. "What's your plan?"</p><p>"My plan is to whack the queen with this sword until she's dead," Cassandra stated. While it sounded second nature, Rapunzel seemed horrified by the notion.</p><p>"Cass, we can't just kill it. One, it didn't do anything wrong, and two, it's going to hurt the town. Don't the workers here need the wasps to make the jelly in the first place?"</p><p>"I'm sure they'll figure something out," Cass grunted. "And by the way, if you didn't have a plan, why did you accept the job in the first place?"</p><p>"I thought that we would come up with something when we got here. Like usual."</p><p>Cassandra was going to deny that fact, but then again, improvising their way out of life-threatening situations was <em>sort of </em>the norm with them. It didn't make the situation any better, but at least Rapunzel was somewhat justified. She still shook her head and continued forward, trying to placate the Princess.</p><p>"How about we see what kind of wasps we are dealing with and then we talk, okay?"</p><p>"I mean, that's thinking even more on the spot than before—"</p><p>"No arguing. I'm on point here," Cassandra cut her off. Rapunzel agreed to the terms with a silent nod, and then the pair resumed their descent into the cave, extra cautious of the unknown danger lurking around each corner.</p><p>The humming got louder as they got further along until Cassandra realized that it likely wasn't humming at all, but buzzing. Angry, aggressive buzzing that seemed to step over itself a dozen times over. The wasps were active. Possibly hundreds of them. Cassandra adjusted the grip on her sword and readied herself for a fight. A thick sludge of blue jelly dripped down into her hair, and she furiously brushed it out as her attention was brought to the cave. Was it carved by the wasps themselves? If they were strong enough to do that, she could only imagine how difficult it would be to fight them.</p><p>God, why did she ever agree to do this? Wait, she knew the answer to that question. Rapunzel asked her to, and Cass was pathetic.</p><p>She rounded the corner, and then gasped and immediately threw herself behind the stone bend for cover. She held out her arm, blocking Rapunzel dead in her tracks.</p><p>"What's wrong? Did you find—"</p><p>"Sshhh."</p><p>Cassandra held a finger to her lips. Very cautiously, she leaned around the corner, just far enough so that she could be confident in what she was looking at. Rapunzel worriedly squeezed Cassandra's arm. She could see the fear apparent in Cassandra's face, and the longer Cass went without saying anything, the more nervous she became. When she tried to move forward herself to get a glimpse around the corner, Cassandra finally reacted to her: by grabbing her hand and immediately walking back the way they came from.</p><p>"Nope. We are not doing this," Cassandra said firmly.</p><p>"What? Hey," Rapunzel protested, pulling herself free. "We can't leave already."</p><p>"Yes, we can and yes, we are. Come on," Cassandra instructed, but as she was prone to do, Rapunzel went off on her own and completely ignored Cassandra's warnings.</p><p>"How bad could it be?" Rapunzel asked, turning the corner.</p><p>As it turned out: bad. Very bad. The ground immediately fell out at the mouth of the bend, and they found themselves at the edge of a massive cavern with no discernable or easy way down. The cavern before Rapunzel's eyes was vast, plunging fifty meters deep into the earth and branching off into a hundred tunnels just like theirs along the craggy stone walls. The blue jelly seeped from every possible surface, coating the rock like a thick layer of paint. That wasn't what frightened her, though. What did frighten her—what startled her so much that she nearly dropped her frying pan—was that at the bottom of the pit, floating amidst what she could only describe as an ocean of the blue liquid, was a hive that was almost as large as her castle. Its torn walls were frigid and waxy like paper, but within, she could see thousands of honeycomb-shaped holes large enough for her to squeeze inside. The hive was occupied by the wasps, and though their size was hard to make out from far away, she suspected that each one was roughly the size of a person. They were clamoring all over each other in a crude, vibrating mass, vomiting out the blue jelly and stashing it away wherever they could, zipping up and flying around the cave as they went about their busy work. And, worst of all, she could see the queen, perched on top of the hive itself. Its abdomen was the size of a house, its wings were like those of a dragon, and its stinger was thicker than a horse. It lazily moved its head back and forth, scanning its workers below as they followed its bidding. Rapunzel's lips quivered, and so soon after she laid eyes on it, she realized just how out of her depth she actually was.</p><p>Cassandra grabbed Rapunzel by the shoulders and dragged her back, shaking some sense into her.</p><p>"Now do you see the problem," Cass said through gritted teeth.</p><p>"Uh, okay," Rapunzel stammered, "I admit that the queen is, um…a bit <em>bigger </em>than anticipated."</p><p>"You want to beat that thing up? With this?" Cass hissed, hoisting up Rapunzel's hand and forcing the Princess to look at her frying pan.</p><p>"I may have been a little too confident," Rapunzel admitted quietly. "But I'm sure there's still something we can do."</p><p>"And what would that be?" Cass asked pointedly. "Face it. We're in over our heads. This sidequest was pointless."</p><p>"Don't say that."</p><p>"We are leaving."</p><p>"No." Cassandra tried to pull Rapunzel away again, but she held firm. Cassandra sneered.</p><p>"What is wrong with you?"</p><p>"We promised that town we would help," Rapunzel said forcefully.</p><p>"What? No, we didn't."</p><p>"Yes, we did," Rapunzel claimed. "We told Jane that we would stop this wasp and get the town their mine back."</p><p>Cassandra furrowed her brow. "Raps, we promised one person that we would do this so that they'd sell us something at a discount. We're not in this for the town. We know nothing about this town. Only one person even knows that we're doing this, and that person doesn't care about what happens other than the money she can make. This isn't us being altruistic. This is so we can get you medicine. I thought you knew that."</p><p>"Is that all you think this is?" Rapunzel said, startled and offended. "Do you really not care about this town? At all?"</p><p>"Raps, hey, keep your voice down."</p><p>"Yes, we are getting medicine, but we are also helping people. We always helped people before, no matter what. Remember?"</p><p>"Raps, seriously, I don't even know what you are talking—"</p><p>"I'm talking about doing good beyond ourselves. I'm talking about making sure we aren't just forgetting about what really matters. We <em>have </em>to do something good, Cass."</p><p>"I am doing good. I'm helping you."</p><p>"You're ignoring these people."</p><p>"We can't help them."</p><p>"Yes, we can. We just have to—"</p><p>"To what?"</p><p>"We'll think of something."</p><p>"No, we won't. We're wasting time."</p><p>"Helping people is never a waste of time. I thought you knew that."</p><p>"We can't help anyone by dying."</p><p>"I'm <em>already </em>dying, Cass!"</p><p>Cassandra fell silent. She had been so frustrated, so fearful of the hive beneath their feet that she only just noticed how worked up Rapunzel was getting. She was breathing heavily. Her cheeks were flushed. A whisper of tears glimmered in her eyes. She was shaking as she clenched her fists and swung her frying pan downwards, slamming it through the air as she worked through the emotions eating away at her. All Cassandra could do was watch.</p><p>"I…I have to do <em>something</em>, Cass," Rapunzel gasped. "I can't just waste away. I have to…I have to keep helping people. I have to know I can do that. If I can't do that, if…if I can't be <em>me</em>, then what's even…"</p><p>Rapunzel trailed off and hung her head in shame. By the time she realized what she was saying, it was too late to take it all back. Cassandra's sneer faded, and in its place came a pity that Rapunzel forced herself to look away from. Her arms hung loosely by her sides, and she couldn't bring herself to say another word. Cassandra struggled in her own way on whether she should smack Rapunzel for selfishly dragging them into this mess or just give her a giant hug. She couldn't help but wonder what it was that set Rapunzel off; she knew the curse was playing with her mind, but it wasn't possible that <em>she </em>also led Rapunzel to act this way, was it? Now that she thought about it, she did talk a lot about adventures before they arrived in the town. She was worried about Rapunzel judging her, but maybe…</p><p>Cassandra cut the thought off when she noticed something.</p><p>"Wait a second…what happened to all the buzzing?"</p><p>Rapunzel's head snapped toward the corner. Cassandra's gaze followed. They looked at each other nervously. The buzzing was gone. Nothing took its place but the silence.</p><p>The long, dreadful silence.</p><p>Cassandra took one step toward the corner.</p><p>Then another.</p><p>Then another.</p><p>She pressed herself to the wall and held her breath.</p><p>Silent. She had to be silent.</p><p>She slowly inched her head around the corner.</p><p>Her sight broke free of the wall.</p><p>She saw nothing out in the cavern.</p><p>A massive wasp suddenly dropped down into the cave opening, staring face-to-face with her with its vicious, insect eyes.</p><p>"Ahh!" Cassandra lunged back in horror, and on pure instinct, she swung her sword up through the air. The tip of the blade caught hard flesh, and the wasp was cut through the thorax before it could lunge at her. It dropped down into the massive cavern below, but before Cassandra could sigh in relief, she heard the buzzing return. Angier. Louder. Closing in fast from every direction. Cassandra turned, grabbed Rapunzel by the wrist, and took off sprinting as fast as she could back to the front of the cave tunnel. Rapunzel didn't argue, racing with Cassandra as they charged through the dripping cave. She turned just for a moment to glance behind, and instantly regretted it. She saw a swarm of human-sized wasps, blue-striped and buzzing like a storm, flying through the tunnel after them, their masses so clustered together that they formed almost a single, fluid massive of writhing wings and spindly legs. Their buzzing was a powerful, deafening drone, and they were gaining. They were gaining fast.</p><p>"They're gaining fast!" Rapunzel shouted.</p><p>"I know that!" Cassandra screamed, equally panicked.</p><p>They were at a disadvantage. Cassandra hadn't realized just how much their voyage into the cave was on the descent until she found herself sprinting back on the same path uphill. Her adrenaline was enough to keep her just barely ahead of the wasps, but she was running out of stamina fast. Dragging Rapunzel was a drain. Normally, Rapunzel would be the one sprinting ahead of her, but in her condition, she could barely keep up. Over the nightmarish swarm of the wasps, she could hear Rapunzel breathing hard. No matter how far they raced through the cave, they never seemed to be any closer to reaching the mouth. Cassandra could have sworn that they hadn't gone that deep, but she couldn't see daylight despite how hard she looked. She couldn't let it end like this. After everything she had fought for, she was going to die by getting devoured by wasps out in the middle of nowhere? Bullshit. That was all she could think about: how much bullshit her death would be.</p><p>Rapunzel felt like her heart was going to explode. Her head was spinning. Running for just a few seconds at full power drained everything she had. She was almost too weak to hold onto her frying pan. Her knees felt like the jelly that dripped from the walls. How she kept herself upright was something she'd never know. She couldn't see Cassandra's face. What was written on it? Fear? Regret? Or was it hatred? Hatred toward her for letting her arrogance and her selfishness doom both of them. The buzzing drew ever so closer, nipping at their heels, and Rapunzel didn't dare turn around to see how close the swarm was. She could only look off hopelessly into the endless, similar-looking rocky cave ahead of her, knowing that they were nowhere close enough to escaping. The only other thing she could make herself look at was Cassandra's blackened hand desperately holding onto her gloved wrist, the last tether she was ever going to have to another person.</p><p>Cassandra's blackened hand. Her gloved hand.</p><p>And then it hit her. A final, very stupid, very dangerous idea. With the swarm of thousands of angry wasps directly on their tail, about to reach them at any moment, she didn't have any choice left. Her other options were extinguished. She only hoped that Eugene would forgive her—and that Cassandra would be able to let go.</p><p>Rapunzel shut her eyes tight.</p><p>"Wither and decay."</p><p>Cassandra's eyes shot back toward Rapunzel, startled. "Raps, what are you doing?"</p><p>"End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>Cassandra screamed. "This is not the time, Rapunzel!"</p><p>Rapunzel shook her head. She spoke louder. Concentrate. Concentrate, please, concentrate.</p><p>"Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthly chains. And set the spirit free."</p><p>She felt the wind on her back from the fluttering wings of the wasps. She felt their daggered stingers edging against her spine. She felt her legs about to give out from underneath her.</p><p>"Wither and decay."</p><p>A little more. Work. Please work.</p><p>"End this destiny."</p><p>She hated those words. God, she hated those words so much. But she needed the universe to give her something. Anything.</p><p>"Break these earthly chains—"</p><p>Lightning struck through Rapunzel's chest, and an unseen power forced her eyes open and drew the oxygen out of her lungs. Cassandra gasped as Rapunzel's eyes became dark as shadows, and all of the fear was sucked out of her face and replaced with a sorrowful rage. Cassandra only had a moment to react, and at the last second, she released her grip on Rapunzel's wrist—just as the gloves on her hands burned to ash from the cruses power. Rapunzel stopped dead in her tracks and whipped around, extending her arms toward the swarm that was only a few meters away, screaming with scratchy, broken sobs.</p><p>"<em>And set the spirit free!"</em></p><p>The wasps flew toward her, ready to sting; and then, all at once, the buzzing stopped, and they fell. All of them. Every single wasp from the front of the swarm to the back fell like dominoes, collapsing to the ground and becoming instantly stiff as they slid to a grinding halt to her bare feet on the cold, unforgiving stone. She watched them all fall into massive, croaking piles of hard shells and unmoving faces, stacking up on top of each other all the way back down to the cavern entrance. Her arms trembled before her, and Cassandra could see the scars on the backs of her hands glow with tremendous power that she had never seen. She was standing behind Rapunzel, but she could feel the wind and death coming off of her, a dry fog that seeped into her throat and poisoned her from within. When the last of the wasps fell, and the last one of their gigantic bodies stopped twitching, Rapunzel lowered her arms, and she just stood there.</p><p>She stood there, unmoving, for a long time.</p><p>She fainted soon after.</p><p>Cassandra dove forward to catch the Princess before she cracked her head on the stone, and Cassandra kneeled with the unconscious Rapunzel in her arms, trying to comfort her the best she could. She felt more concerned than she had since the curse began. She shushed Rapunzel and gently caressed her scarred cheek.</p><p>The endless corpses of the wasps lied in front of her. For them, she felt nothing.</p><hr/><p>"Did you feel that?"</p><p>"How could I not, Sister?"</p><p>"It's growing stronger faster than we anticipated. At this rate—"</p><p>"I know. We have to act. Now."</p><p>"Are you thinking—"</p><p>"The Psychopomp. Send for her."</p><p>"Is that not too drastic?"</p><p>"The power has been awoken. We have no more time to sit and watch. Send for her."</p><p>"Understood, Sister. May God have mercy on her soul."</p><p>"May God have mercy on us all."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Coping with All of It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cassandra tries to make Rapunzel feel better after a mission gone wrong.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Very sorry about the update delay. Time simply got away from us, and it was hard to get into a good writing flow. November was a crazy month. This is basically just how this chapter turned out. Anyway, here's some Cassunzel angst. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Rapunzel? Come on, Raps. Wake up. Please, wake up."</p><p>Opening her eyes felt like trying to lift a mountain. The same moment that the world began to come into focus was when a shooting migraine pulsed through her head and forced her eyes back shut. Something soft was beneath her, on her back. Something warm caressed her cheek.</p><p>"Come on, Rapunzel. It's okay. You're safe now. Get up."</p><p>Rapunzel groaned as she felt herself being pulled back into the abyss of unconsciousness. Clinging onto reality took every ounce of strength she had. She could feel the tendrils of sleep still clinging onto her shoulders, pulling her, teasing her gently ever downward back into the lulls of sleep. When she spoke, her mouth tasted like sand. "What…ow…"</p><p>"Take it slow. Please."</p><p>That voice. Rapunzel could at least recognize that voice. Cassandra? What was Cassandra…oh, wait. Yes. That was it. It was all coming back to her. They had been investigating that hive, and they had been discovered, and she had gotten so desperate that the Incantation…right. Of course. The Incantation. The Curse. It was all so familiar.</p><p>She remembered Eugene's arm and Pascal's withered form. She opened her eyes.</p><p>It took a few seconds for the world to properly align itself. Cassandra was hovering over her, scared and shaking in a way that Rapunzel had never really seen before. Her mouth steadily curved upward when she saw Rapunzel's eyes focus on her, but her darting eyes gave away her concern. They were located, well, somewhere. There was a roof over her head, plain and wooden and in need of repair, a couple of water stains lining its surface. The soft thing beneath her was a bed, which even stiff and non-fitting felt like heaven on earth. She tried to move, but her body very quickly decided that she wasn't going anywhere just yet.</p><p>"Where are we, Cass?"</p><p>"Somewhere safe. Thank God," Cass said bluntly. Before Rapunzel could say anything, Cass blushed and quietly pulled her hand away from her face. Cassandra hurriedly glanced away, stammering and clearing her throat. "Um, an inn, specifically. I found one a few hours away from that town. It is…I'm not sure. Maybe two in the morning? You were out for a long time. I had to carry you back and everything. I-I got some food, two. Bread and strawberries. I don't think you've eaten anything in a while."</p><p>A while? Rapunzel wasn't sure if she had a full meal since the dinner party. Yet, she could hardly consider herself hungry. She was far more tired than hungry. She hadn't gotten a decent night's rest either. All she had in terms of sleep were the prolonged periods where she was unconscious—something that was becoming a rather troubling trend for her. Did Cass have to carry her all the way back to Fidella? She really lugged her limp body all through that uphill, slippery walk back to the cave entrance. As if Rapunzel needed to put <em>literal </em>weight on Cassandra's shoulders.</p><p>Rapunzel gave up trying to stand. For a brief, horrifying second, she gave up trying to do anything. The previous day's failure stung worse than anything a wasp could do to her. She had never, at any point in her previous adventures, fail to accomplish something she set out to do. If there was an artifact that needed destroying, or a friend who needed serving, or a town that needed saving, she had always done it. Sometimes it was slow and sloppy, and it was almost always chaotic, but she had done what she set out to do. Every. Single. Time. But now, when she had the chance to prove herself, she fell on her face at the first hurdle. It was supposed to be simple. Help the town and stop the wasps. Instead, she almost got Cassandra killed.</p><p>And herself. She had to remember that, too. She almost got herself killed.</p><p>Cassandra could sense her trepidation, and acted quickly to cheer Rapunzel up. Rapunzel shut her eyes tight, but she could feel the air shifting before her as Cassandra waved something right in front of her face.</p><p>"Hey, take a look at this. This might make you happy."</p><p>"I'm not hungry."</p><p>"This isn't food. Unless you want it to be."</p><p>Rapunzel made herself look at the ting Cassandra was holding, and she was caught by surprise. Cassandra held a small, glowing jar of purified healing jelly daintily between her fingers; the very same jar that had been offered to them as a reward for clearing out the hive. Rapunzel didn't understand, though to Cassandra, it was the simplest thing in the world.</p><p>"I told that bartender lady that we killed all the wasps. She shrugged and gave this to me as a reward. Figured we could use it, given well…" Cassandra trailed off, and her subtle smile turned bitter. "Well, that's the bad news. Your scars…"</p><p>Rapunzel snapped to attention. Her scars. The curse. She remembered now. All of it. She spoke the Incantation again. Willingly. Forced it out. She forced the curse back unto herself. Of all the things that could have made her situation worse, she had to perform the worst one. She was fearful when she found the strength to raise her arms. Cassandra's face was enough to tell her that things had gotten worse. The only question was how much. The latest version of that incantation was so powerful. So intense. Summoning her courage, she lifted her hands over her face, and stared at them lifelessly from the bed.</p><p>The scars had grown. Massively. Previously limited to the backs of her hands, the two scars that marked her flesh had extended down along the backs of her forearms, stopping just above her elbows. They seemed <em>deeper </em>than before, and the blue they glowed was darker, hinging on purple as tiny streaks of corrupted tissue spread through her skin like veins from the wounds. With a groan of pain, Rapunzel clenched her fists; half to make sure that she could still use her arms, and half to make sure that it was actually real. Cassandra sighed, and in an act of solidarity, took one of Rapunzel's hands into her own, embracing it with the tender black flesh—her own personal scar from the same cursed Incantation.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Cassandra stated. She gave the only comfort she could find. "It gets easier to live with."</p><hr/><p>When Cassandra recommended a bath, Rapunzel half thought she was joking. After all, Cassandra was the one who demanded they keep a fast pace. A long, relaxing bath was pretty much the exact opposite of what Cass had wanted. But it seemed like the incident in the cave had tempered Cassandra's expectations, and her scars were getting too much to bear without proper treatment—and hell, maybe Cassandra just realized that neither of them had bathed in a very, very long time, and there was no point in continuing on if they were going on if they were going to be so disgusting. Fortunately, there was a tub in the room, and a well from which to draw water from slightly further in the inn, and Cassandra, in her infinite wisdom, carried around some basic soap and shampoo in her traveling bag for such occasions. It was nothing compared to the limitless products that Rapunzel had back in her castle in Corona, but it would do under their current constraints. Once the bath was drawn, the hardest part was actually getting Rapunzel out of her clothes. How things had changed since Cassandra left Rapunzel's side some sixteen months ago. Everything became far more complicated, and the clothing was no exception. The strings and fastens on her royal dress were far more complicated than Cassandra was used to, and freeing Rapunzel from her garments seemed more like solving a puzzle than anything else. Cassandra even considered grabbing her sword and cutting the dress off completely, though she stopped herself once she realized that Rapunzel would have literally nothing else to wear for the rest of their journey. That probably wouldn't be good for many, many, <em>many </em>reasons.</p><p>Rapunzel was hesitant to help remove the dress. Not because of nakedness. Cassandra had seen her naked plenty of times. As lady-in-waiting, it was Cassandra's job to help bathe and dress her every day, something which Cassandra complained endlessly about yet never ceased to do without question or fault. Rapunzel was afraid of seeing the scar that she knew had been opened up on her stomach. Each blue, lightning-shaped wound drained her emotionally, and she didn't need to know that things were worse than they already were. When Cassandra finally managed to slide the dress free from Rapunzel's body, the Princess did not look down at herself. When the rest of her undergarments were removed, Rapunzel stepped forward immediately into the tub, and sank herself beneath the surface of the dark water, hiding her body before she could look at it. Her arms wrapped around the edges of the tub, and she leaned her head back, trying to get comfortable. It was about as easy as fighting the wasps.</p><p>Cassandra soaked a washcloth within the water, and then, with the patience and deft touch she mastered over months of servitude, placed the tip of the cloth against Rapunzel's neck, and gradually drew the cloth down her shoulder and along the smooth surface of her arm, taking care not to press too hard against her scars. Rapunzel breathed deeply, trying to relax, though Cassandra could see her muscles tensing up as she continued to wash her.</p><p>"You know, I never thought I would be doing this again," Cassandra confessed. "Bathing princesses isn't exactly what you sign up for when you become lady-in-waiting. I mean, I knew I would be doing the cleaning, but I thought the thing I would be cleaning was something that wasn't…well, <em>you</em>."</p><p>"Right," Rapunzel said. She seemed distant, lost within her own thoughts, and Cassandra bit her lower lip and tried to keep her distracted as she worked to remove the dirt and grime from Rapunzel's skin.</p><p>"Honestly, the weirdest thing about it was how you acted like it <em>wasn't </em>weird," Cassandra admitted. "Do you remember that? At first, you were hesitant, but you got over the awkwardness way too quickly. You were practically jumping into those baths. Then again, when your pampering someone every single day—feeding them and dressing them and bathing them—you get used to it petty quickly."</p><p>Rapunzel let out a breathless, reflexive laugh. "I never realized how much you hated those moments."</p><p>Cassandra smiled fondly. "Well, I wouldn't say <em>hated</em>. Though…okay, actually, yeah, I hated it. Having to brush all of that stupid blonde hair; it drove me crazy. I much prefer this actually."</p><p>Cassandra ran her fingers along Rapunzel's scalp, combing through the short brown locks. Despite them having long lost their golden luster, they remained soft to an almost frustrating degree. It seemed like no matter what happened to Rapunzel, whether it be curses or assaults or just plain bad luck, she always seemed to stay perfect and beautiful, like she was protected by her pure genetic splendor. If Cassandra cared more about her own physical appearance, she would have been rather jealous. Instead, she just got the opportunity to marvel once again at how the Princess was better than her, even in one of the lowest moments of her life.</p><p>"You must be happy then to be gone," Rapunzel said wistfully, and all at once, Cassandra's fond smile dimmed into a slight scowl.</p><p>"I mean…yeah," Cassandra said carefully. "It is for the best that I'm on my own now."</p><p>"I'm sure it's great," Rapunzel sighed, "now that you don't have me to hold you back anymore."</p><p>Cassandra brushed the washcloth down Rapunzel's arm, scrubbing it carefully to clean off the accumulated mud and grime that had splashed onto her during their long journey. She focused more intently on her work, dabbing the cloth between each of Rapunzel's fingers and gently squeezing her hand tight within the damp fabric, and she hadn't realized that she had gone completely quiet until Rapunzel tapped the side of the tub with her opposite hand, loudly trying to distract herself. Her tapping was aggressive, rigid, and out-of-synch, enough to jog Cassandra back to reality and trigger in her an innate sense of danger.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Cassandra said, pulling away the cloth and letting it hang by her side. "Were you trying to make a joke there?"</p><p>"Hmmm?"</p><p>"That thing about you not holding me back. Was that a joke?" Cassandra pursed her lips. "You don't do sarcasm very well, and I legitimately don't know if you meant that. Because I don't think that about you."</p><p>Rapunzel frowned, sliding down the tub until her chin dipped below the water. "You used to think that."</p><p>That she did. And Cassandra hated that memory. "Well…that was old me," she tried to explain. "New Cassandra doesn't think that about her friends."</p><p>"I suppose," Rapunzel sighed. "Though we are falling back into old habits now, aren't we?"</p><p>Cassandra crossed her arms, her frustration and curiosity getting the better of her sensibilities. "Okay, what's your problem? Because I get that things aren't great, but we got the healing stuff, and we're well on our way to Madrid, and honestly, I didn't sign up for sad, mopey Rapunzel. If something is wrong, I'd prefer it if you just told me."</p><p>The comments seemed to strike a nerve. The otherwise lethargic Princess suddenly stirred and rolled over in the tub, pushing herself up on its edges and rising to meet Cassandra's eyes. Her gaze was stern and bitter, and there was a deadly fire in her green eyes that Cassandra could never recall seeing before. It pierced her long before Rapunzel's words ever did.</p><p>"My <em>problem</em>," she said pointedly, "is that I almost <em>killed</em> you, Cass. My selfishness and my weakness nearly got both of us murdered. Yes, that upsets me. Why is that hard for you to understand?"</p><p>Cassandra tried holding her ground, feeling immense pressure to defend herself from Rapunzel's judging glare. However, even though her tone was strict, she reminded herself to convey as much positivity and warmth as possible.</p><p>"Look, we survived, didn't we?" she reasoned, trying to ease Rapunzel back into the tub. "Things like this happen. They happen all the time. It's best to just focus on the small victories and move on."</p><p>"Move on?" Rapunzel said, her words laced with disgust. "How can I just move on from this? I knew it would be dangerous for you to come with me. I knew how insanely stupid and dangerous it would be to bring you with me, and I still let you come with me because I was selfish. And look at what happened: not even a day has gone by, and you almost died. I can't just <em>move on </em>from that, Cass. I'm not like you. I can't just forgive myself that easily and pretend like it doesn't matter."</p><p>Cassandra spoke bluntly. "Okay, <em>first of all</em>…I was coming whether you wanted me to or not, so there's no point in blaming yourself for that. <em>Second of all</em>…" Cassandra placed her hands on Rapunzel's shoulders, and with the slightest of effort, managed to force the Princess back beneath the water, much to her chagrin. "I get that these last few days have sucked. I really get it. But the last thing either of us need right now is for you to get consumed in self-doubt. Would Eugene want you to be beating yourself up like this?"</p><p>It was a mistake to mention Rapunzel's husband, because the moment she did, Rapunzel grimaced and turned away from her, curling up into a ball inside the tub and sheltering her mind off from the rest of the world. It was all at once pathetic and heartbreaking; a child-like reaction from a free spirit who wasn't used to so much of the world crashing down on her shoulders. It did more work to shatter the illustration of Rapunzel that Cassandra had perfectly painted in her mind than any betrayal or misdeed. Cassandra knew Rapunzel as a fighter; maybe an unconventional one, but in the noblest and most courageous manner, the comparison was clear. Rapunzel never gave up in the face of the most hopeless quest. When Cassandra had taken the Moonstone, turned her back against the world and joined Zhan Tiri, there was Rapunzel, still kind and true and desperate to get her friend to return to her. They fought time and time again, hurt each other in unimaginable ways, and yet Rapunzel's convictions never wavered. Not once.</p><p>Now? All it took was a single word, a name that had brought so much joy and passion to Rapunzel's life, to bring the Princess back to tears.</p><p>Cassandra looked down at her own hands, clammy and coarse and half-dead. They were hands that weren't fit for the delicate work of a handmaiden, yet she washed and cleaned and stitched Rapunzel back together with them more times than she could count. They were the hands that summoned black rocks from the ground and nearly tore Corona apart, and yet in sum total, they had also healed more than they hurt. But no matter how little damage she had truly caused, every time she would look down at her hands, she thought they were the hands of a monster. Guilt was a powerful trickster, luring one in with promises of repentance and poisoning the mind before it could find its peace. It had taunted her for months, creeping in her thoughts, pulling at her heartstrings, whispering in her ear that she wasn't worthy of her second chances, that the people of Corona hated her, that she was worthless to the world and that she would never make anything right ever again. It did that despite her being forgiven by those she harmed, despite her saving the world from Zhan Tiri, despite <em>everything </em>she had done so that she could look at herself in the mirror once again. It was crippling—and now, it was coming for Rapunzel. It scarred her body all the same, clouded her vision, no doubt filling it with memories of Eugene's pitiful, wounded form. And Rapunzel, the ever-loving, always free spirit, was ill-prepared for its crushing allure.</p><p>But Cassandra knew guilt better than anyone. She clenched her fists. She wasn't going to let Rapunzel fall. Not like her.</p><p>Rapunzel felt Cassandra's hands on her shoulders, and she instinctively tried to fight them off, sniffling and shuddering and wading further away in the tub to escape her friend's touch. Even the slightest physical contact set her off, but Cassandra held firm. She crawled to the side of the tub on her hands and knees and leaned over the edge, closing in to where Rapunzel could not escape her. She took the Princess's forearm in her grasp, and despite Rapunzel's best efforts, she couldn't resist it when Cassandra pulled her in close and tucked her head into the nape of her neck. Rapunzel tried to pull away, but Cassandra simply wrapped her arms around Rapunzel's shoulders and just…held her there.</p><p>She held her there for a long time in a somber embrace.</p><p>Rapunzel never fully broke into tears, but her words were hoarse and ready to break.</p><p>"It's…it's like a nightmare, Cass." Rapunzel nuzzled into Cassandra's neck, trying to find some solace in her friend's arms. "I don't know why this is happening. I don't know why you've all had to suffer because of me."</p><p>"We aren't suffering because of you," Cass assured her, though whether or not Rapunzel accepted her words as true was beyond her. "I chose to follow you through the good <em>and </em>the bad. I know what I'm getting myself into. If Eugene was here, he would say the same thing."</p><p>"I know. I know, I <em>know</em>," Rapunzel insisted. "But it's all just so much. I just…I've never wanted to be anyone else's burden. I've always wanted to be able to take care of myself. I wanted to help people. It seems like every time I try to do the right thing, it just all goes wrong."</p><p>Cassandra held Rapunzel firm, gently stroking her hair in a pleading attempt to calm her. It was hard having to comfort someone who was so often the shining example out of all of them—even harder considering how long they had been apart. It had been almost sixteen months of the two constantly separated, and despite their banter and their warmness towards one another, it was impossible for her to know if the bond between them really remained as strong as it used to be. She had one thought to test it, however, and that digging deep inside of herself to come clean about something she hadn't been able to admit for a long time.</p><p>"I haven't been able to help anyone since I left Corona."</p><p>To Cassandra, the truth came out naturally. To Rapunzel, the blunt admission seemed like it came from nowhere. She pulled away Cassandra to look her friend in the face, where a saddened smile had crossed her features.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I, um…" Cassandra said awkwardly. "I've just been roaming around aimlessly these past four months. I haven't managed to save a single person."</p><p>"But," Rapunzel stammered, "those stories you told me. All those good deeds."</p><p>"Yeah…I lied," Cassandra said shamefully. She looked away, not able to handle what would happen when Rapunzel began to judge her. "Oh, I tried to be a hero. I tried to go to other Kingdoms and take up jobs. Most people remembered what I had done with the Moonstone, though, so I couldn't do anything there. I had to stick to small towns where news can't travel quickly, and even then, I haven't been able to find anything noble or heroic or, hell, just plain decent. I've basically been living off of odd jobs."</p><p>Rapunzel shook her head, more surprised than outraged. "I don't understand. Why did you lie to me?"</p><p>"And admit that I'm a failure? Please," Cassandra sighed, accepting her fate. "You put your faith in me to do good. You were willing to forgive me for everything I did so I could find my destiny somewhere else. What was I supposed to do? Tell you that my destiny is to do nothing? I haven't done a single damn thing with your forgiveness except waste everyone's time, and honestly, the more days go by, the more I'm sure that I would have been better off if you just kept me locked up somewhere. At least then I couldn't disappoint myself."</p><p>"Don't talk like that," Rapunzel said firmly. Cass simply ignored her.</p><p>"I had one chance to redeem myself, and I blew it. I'm not a hero, or a warrior. I'm just a person who made too many mistakes and doesn't have a chance to undo them. The truth is, Raps: this is the first thing I've done in months that gives my life any meaning. Being in your life, serving you…it turns out that's the only thing I'm good for. So, don't beat yourself up over me. Getting caught in the crossfire with you is the best thing for me."</p><p>Rapunzel didn't know how to respond. She had been so blinded by her own angst for the past several days she hadn't even begun to think about what Cassandra had been going through. Her friend's words tore through her heart like a dagger. She had no idea how much pain she was still carrying around with her. In hindsight, it all made sense. It was foolish of her to assume that Cassandra would be able to forgive herself as easily as she did. She had turned against everyone she cared about, nearly destroyed their homes and tarnished her legacy all in the pointless pursuit of destiny, and the idea that a simple hug would be able to wash down all of the anguish was something of a fantasy. She also couldn't bear to think of how draining the past four months of Cassandra's journey had been. Wandering the unknown by oneself was a surefire way to drown in one's thoughts if not too careful, but Rapunzel had always assumed that Cassandra was strong enough to make the journey alone. She didn't realize just how dangerous the concoction of less-than-perfect luck and a lifetime full of bad decisions was to a person whose mind could only be occupied on the past.</p><p>Rapunzel couldn't stand the sadness any further. She placed her hands on Cassandra's shoulders, taking on the role of counseling that she had assumed far too often for such a young life. She willed herself to be strong, and even though she was miserable and naked and soaking wet in the tub, she somehow managed to find enough conviction to steady her wavering voice.</p><p>"Cassandra," she said, drawing the older woman's eyes back to her. "I will <em>never</em> be disappointed in you. You chose to break away from Zhan Tiri and be a better person. The simple fact that you are even <em>trying </em>to do the right thing means the world to me. You're on the right path. I promise you, you are. I'm sorry things haven't been going like we thought they were, but you just need to hold out a little longer. You are absolutely worthy of a better future, one where you don't have to feel like you depend on me to be worth something. You are strong, and brave, and talented, and <em>amazing</em>, and…and I am so sorry that I haven't been able to tell you that sooner."</p><p>Cassandra lost herself in Rapunzel's green eyes. Her words were so soothing that they broke through Cass's tough exterior and ceased her doubts all at once. It was remarkable the effect that Rapunzel had over her. A few words, a loving stare, and a simple touch were all it took to bring Cassandra up from any spiral she threw herself into. It was those same gestures that she had taught herself to hate when she took the Moonstone. She had told herself then that those feelings had made her weak, and she had done so much to burn those sensations out of her that even accepting them now felt wrong. She convinced herself that those emotions were evil, and that Rapunzel was her enemy, and no matter how stupid and wrong those feelings were, she also knew that their opposite was just as dangerous. Letting Rapunzel seep her way back into her mind was another toxicity that she couldn't let herself sink into. Even if she wasn't driven by her lust for power any longer, she knew she couldn't give into those feelings. There was too much at stake. Too many things that could go wrong and sour the precious remaining bond they had.</p><p>And still…those eyes lured her in. That careful little smile melted her heart. It wasn't even the salaciousness of the moment that did it for her. Sex hadn't even crossed her mind. It was the plain notion of Rapunzel caring for her so deeply that consumed her every waking thought. Her barriers had been shattered, and her mind was at ease, and in that one single moment, she nearly blurted out the <em>other</em> thing she had desperately tried to keep hidden—but she stopped herself. Like she did every time before. She found restraint at the last possible moment, even with Rapunzel so tantalizingly close to her. She would preserve what little they had for just a little bit longer. Just a bit.</p><p>She flashed an awkward smile, trying to deflect those intrusive thoughts away. "Shit…wasn't I the one who was supposed to be comforting you?"</p><p>"We look out for each other," Rapunzel said warmly. "That's what sisters do."</p><p>Cassandra's smile faltered for just a moment, but she hid it well. "Right. That's what sisters do."</p><p>Rapunzel sighed, then smirked wickedly as she tried to keep the mood light. "Though, if I'm not mistaken…I think you were <em>actually</em> supposed to be giving me a bath?"</p><p>Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Oh, here we go."</p><p>Rapunzel flopped back into the tub, stretching out her limbs into the water. "I'm just saying."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," Cassandra said, groggily rising to her feet and grabbing her belongings from her bedside. She snatched up the tiny bottle of healing jelly from the mattress and held it firmly in her hand. She had to stay focused. The little diversion was revealing and all, but they had a task to do. Get Rapunzel to Madrid as fast as possible. If that jelly helped make travel easier than it was for the best that she apply it as soon as possible. Obtaining that was the one good thing that had happened to them so far on their journey, and she was hoping to finish cleaning up Rapunzel, get a few decent hours of sleep, and then keep up their positive momentum in the morning.</p><p>They wouldn't.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Out of Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Glad to get another chapter of this in by the end of 2020. Not bad for a side story we began on a whim. Our 2021 goal is to try to take this a little more seriously once we finish our other major stories. We want to take this story to a lot of different places. Until then, we hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arianna hadn't been to the infirmary of the castle in forever.</p><p>Literally.</p><p>What need would she ever have for it? She lived an exceptionally healthy life. Good diet. Plenty of fitness. She never put herself in any harm's way. The only time she ever came close to needing medical care was when something went wrong, usually involving her daughter. There was the time she was caught in the blizzard, of course, but that simply required a long recuperation in her bed and plenty of hot water. She tried her hardest to avoid the need to visit that dreadful place. The sickliness and death of it all permeated her senses, and it had such a horrible effect on her psyche that she couldn't even stand in that room for more than a few minutes without feeling faint.</p><p>But the Queen was there now, sitting in the quiet, dim light of the infirmary, watching her son-in-law breathing as she stewed in her own guilt. She clasped her hands by her waist, squeezing them so tightly they threatened to break. She didn't say anything to him. She doubted he could hear her if she tried. His arm was strung up in a sling, but the parts of it that were exposed were as black as the night sky. It was impossible for Arianna to think that her daughter could do something like that, yet the proof was right there in front of her. A permanent, unmistakable wound committed by a wife against her husband. He was the second person Rapunzel hurt like that; the third, the adorable little chameleon that had befriended her all her life, was nearby. It made Arianna sick to her stomach knowing that they might not be the last.</p><p>She heard a subtle rapping on the door, and some desperate, hopeless part of her thought that it might be Rapunzel, returning back to them. Of course, it was merely King Frederick, and though Arianna was always glad to see her husband, she couldn't help but frown at his arrival.</p><p>"How are they?" Frederick asked cautiously, stepping into the room. His footsteps were light. Arianna barely reacted to his presence.</p><p>"Same as they were yesterday," Arianna said grimly. "How could this happen, Fred? It wasn't supposed to be like this."</p><p>"Calm down, my love," Frederick said, trying to sound reassuring. "Once Rapunzel is retrieved, we'll find a cure for them. Everything is going to be okay."</p><p>Arianna grimaced. <em>Retrieved</em>? He made it sound like she was an object. His behavior over the past few days had left a sour taste in her mouth. The King noticed her looking away from him, and he approached her gently.</p><p>"Is something the matter?"</p><p>Arianna sighed, tightening her grip. "Why did you have to send Adira after them?"</p><p>Frederick was taken aback. He hadn't been questioned so bluntly on his commands by her in quite some time. He stammered, trying to justify it more to himself than anyone else.</p><p>"A-Adira was necessary," he claimed. "Do you really want her out there all by herself in her condition?"</p><p>"Of course not," Arianna countered. "But Adira? I don't trust her. She's too…too…"</p><p>It was hard to put her mistrust into words. There was just something about her profession that rubbed her the wrong way. A hired swordswoman—it made her feel like they were doing something dirty, like carrying out an assassination. Plus, there was the way Adira acted. Blunt. Emotionless. Was that really the woman she wanted to put Rapunzel's delicate life in the hands of?</p><p>Frederick huffed, trying to display his kingly authority. "Look, she was the only one who could go. And if what she says is true, and Cassandra really kidnapped her—"</p><p>Arianna stood up suddenly, turning to the King with a stern scowl. "Frederick, you know as well as I do that Cassandra did not kidnap our daughter."</p><p>Frederick held firm. "Adira found her sword. She recognized it. It most certainly was her."</p><p>Arianna's gaze narrowed. "That's not what I meant." Frederick opened his mouth to retort but found his confidence waning. Arianna felt his doubts, and softened her features in response, lowering her voice. "Why do you still hold a grudge against Cassandra? Did she not do enough to prove herself when she fought Zhan Tiri?"</p><p>The King bowed his head in shame, and to Arianna's surprise, he gingerly took her hands and held them within his own. His skin was cold. "She tried to destroy this Kingdom, my dear. We took her in and helped give her a place to belong, and she betrayed all of us. She tried to steal our throne. She tried to hurt our daughter."</p><p>"And despite all of that, Rapunzel forgave her? Why can't you?" Arianna gently reached up and caressed his face, as if to try and pass her compassion onto him. She knew he wasn't a vengeful man—simply a grieving one. In a way, they were all still grieving, even though they had yet to lose anything. Why did it feel then like they were about to lose everything?</p><p>"I know," he said somberly. "I…when Adira brings her back here, I will have a long word with her. I won't be cruel."</p><p>"You are not going to do <em>anything</em> to her," Arianna told him sternly.</p><p>"I'm going to be <em>reasonable</em>. If she helped Rapunzel leave, while she was still sick, she will face repercussions. But I'll be reasonable."</p><p>"Frederick, I—"</p><p>And then, they were hushed by the sound of a pained groan coming from the bed. The royal pair gasped and turned toward the noise. They couldn't believe their eyes.</p><p>Eugene had begun to stir.</p><hr/><p>Cassandra didn't sleep through the night. That made it, what, three in a row? How she was functioning was beyond her. When she had the Moonstone, there were plenty of times where she went long stretches without rest, driven by nothing more than her rage and thirst for vengeance. Maybe some of that power still resided in her, muted and torn away, giving her the strength to keep going when no one else would. Or, perhaps, it was something less supernatural: a simple, nurturing instinct many didn't know they possessed until they needed it.</p><p>Rapunzel stayed awake with her. "Tired of sleeping," she said, justifying it despite Cassandra's protests. The two of them lied in the bed together, occupying the hours with small talk and much-needed catching up. They did their best to keep it light. After pouring their hearts out earlier in the tub, they needed to let their minds relax a little. There were plenty of stories that Rapunzel could pull from memory to entertain them, like the time Lance challenged the entire Royal Guard to a cooking contest but accidentally put flour in all of his recipes instead of sugar, or the quest for buried treasure that accidentally led to all of Corona fighting a skeleton army—or the bizarre werewolf antics that Angry and Catalina would get up to. That was something that happened to slip Cassandra's notice in the time that she'd been away. Frankly, Rapunzel expected her to act with more surprise.</p><p>The other benefit of talking was that they had the chance to see the power of the healing jelly. Cassandra emptied the entire body smearing the substance onto the scars: one on her face, two along her hands and arms, and the fourth and final one, normally hidden from view, traced straight down from Rapunzel's left rib to just above her belly button. Spreading the goopy substance onto Rapunzel's stomach was only slightly more awkward for Cassandra than bathing her, but when the ordeal was done and Rapunzel was dressed again, she felt notably more relieved than she was before. She considered it like closing a chapter—a very messy and uncomfortable one at that—and she couldn't wait to get a move on to the next one.</p><p>They made the agreement to head out at dawn. It was easier to travel when tired if they could see where they were going. They had lost a lot of time, and worse, a lot of ground. Cassandra didn't know how long it would take for Adira to catch them. They had laid a distraction for her, but whether or not she would actually take the bait was a question that she didn't have an answer for yet. It should have theoretically worked: dressing up Ulf in the Shapeshifting Cloak as the Princess and sending him back to Corona. He could easily cough and act like he was sick to disguise the fact he couldn't talk…or actually, <em>wouldn't </em>talk. Because he was a mime, Cassandra reminded herself. He could have been helpful and just talked. The cloak would mask his voice. But nope. He just had to keep miming. She always hated that stupid mime.</p><p>When it was finally time to leave, Cassandra pulled Rapunzel up to her feet, and after four hours of letting the jelly set, the difference was apparent the moment Rapunzel could stand on her own.</p><p>"Whoa…"</p><p>Rapunzel looked down at her hands in awe, clenching and stretching out her fingers. The scars hadn't faded, but the pain: it was almost completely gone. Her stomach, her face; they felt almost like normal. Not only that, but whether it was from additional side effects of the medicine, or just a placebo effect, but she felt a surge of energy coursing through her. She bounced up and down on her heels, seeing just how much she could push things, even as Cassandra sensed her passion and told her to calm down. She wasn't <em>fully</em> like herself again; she doubted she could burst out into a cartwheel or go for a sprint. But she was better. Much better. Her smile was contagious. Even as Cassandra worried that Rapunzel would push herself too far, she couldn't help but be glad for her. Seeing Rapunzel happy was something she really needed, even if she couldn't show it as much as she wanted to.</p><p>"So, ready to travel?" Cass asked lightly.</p><p>"Yeah. I think so," Rapunzel said, taking a deep breath. Their diversion had been fun—well, not really, but it had been long and stressful and Rapunzel was ready to get back on the road. They still had a long way to go, and there was no point in hesitating any further. "How far do you think we'll be able to go today?"</p><p>"If we push it?" Cassandra wondered aloud, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'm not sure. The roads are going to be stiff today from all the mud. I'm hoping we can get to the mountains by sunset."</p><p>"The mountains?" Rapunzel asked curiously, following Cassandra's lead and checking to make sure they had all their supplies with them. "Are we actually going over them?"</p><p>"Well, we don't have time to go around them," Cassandra said, taking Rapunzel's hand and dragging her to the door of the inn. "Unless you know a better way."</p><p>Rapunzel frowned. "Sorry. I'm a little rusty with my European geography."</p><p>"Jeez, how do you not know <em>everything</em> already with all those books you read," Cassandra stated, lovingly rolling her eyes. "I mean, what else do you have to do? Listen to Eugene snore all day?"</p><p>Rapunzel giggled. It felt kind of nice getting to laugh at a joke again. Last night, the mere mention of her husband brought her to tears, but now, she could smile through it. That jelly was working more than one miracle, she supposed. Without the pain and their spirits lifted, it was easier to let herself relax. She even allowed herself to believe that the night before was a turning point, that it would only get better from here on out. Of course, Rapunzel knew it was foolish to think such things—karma was practically waiting to punch her in the face for even suggesting such an idea. Hell, with her recent luck, the second she stepped outside the world would open up and she would be swallowed whole. But for once, she let herself be positive. She let herself be…well, <em>her</em>.</p><p>Cassandra opened the door of the inn. She was expecting Fidella to be waiting outside, ready to continue on their journey. And Fidella was standing there—socializing with a familiar pure white stallion, whose hooves were covered in thick mud, whose snarls were like the growl of a wild lion—whose angry stare pierced through Cassandra like a razor-sharp dagger.</p><p>Cassandra froze in the doorway, but Rapunzel looked past her, confused until she saw the beast of a horse waiting outside. "Cass, what's…<em>Max</em>?"</p><p>The Princess didn't think, nor hesitate. She immediately sprinted out into the muddy roads outside the inn, and before Cassandra could stop her, she threw her arms around the horse's neck and nestled against his fur.</p><p>"Oh, Max! I've missed you!" Rapunzel sighed into his neck. The stallion was breathing heavy, exhausted, and dripping from the remnants of rainwater, and there was still an incredible amount of tension in his muscles as Rapunzel draped herself around him. But like a kiss, the touch from the Princess managed to soothe Max, and for just a moment, he sighed and softened, glad to see her safe and sound. Still, his gaze never drifted away from Cassandra, and she could feel his fury at her still thriving beneath the calm.</p><p>A thousand thoughts raced through Cassandra's mind. She hadn't seen Max in eons. She barely said goodbye to him, and if she wasn't mistaken, the last time they really interacted was when she was trying to destroy his home. His farewell to her was halfhearted, and she doubted that the best guard in all of Corona would be so forgiving to forgive a would-be usurper of her crimes. Plus, it wasn't like they ever had the greatest relationship in the first place. His anger was understandable—but his presence wasn't? How was he standing there? Had he ridden through the night the entire time, desperate to save Rapunzel? If he was there, where was the rest of the Royal Guard? They were good questions, ones that Rapunzel was too thankful to bother asking herself, laughing in delight and nestling herself further against the stallion. Cassandra's confusion managed to cover-up the sickly feeling in her stomach, and she took a cautious step outside to try to defuse the situation calmly.</p><p>"Hi, Short Hair."</p><p>That, as it turns out, was the wrong move.</p><p>A fist collided with the side of Cassandra's face before she could react, and she spun to the muddy ground, dropping like a stone. She splashed down in the dirt, and when she looked up to the grey skies, she saw a woman standing over her.</p><p>A very frustrated woman.</p><p>A woman that she <em>really</em> didn't want to piss off.</p><p>Rapunzel gasped, pulling away from Max as Cassandra groaned in pain, nursing her injured jaw. "Adira? What are you doing?"</p><p>Adira was calm. Her arms were crossed, and the subtlest of smirks crossed her face as she looked down at Cassandra like she was a disobedient child needing to be punished. She had appeared out of nowhere, lying in wait outside of the inn for who knew how long. Rapunzel scowled, but Adira barely paid her any attention other than a casual dismissal.</p><p>"Hello, Princess. Nice to see you again."</p><p>Her words were as sharp as the sword strapped to her back. Rapunzel was too surprised to say anything back. She knew Adira was trailing them, but catching up so soon? Damn, just how much time did they waste? Her gaze snapped to Cassandra, still rubbing her cheek.</p><p>Cassandra groaned and pushed herself up on her elbows. "Adira. Long time no see. Still pack a punch, I see."</p><p>"Glad you're taking your crimes in good spirits, Short Hair," Adira said bluntly.</p><p>"Crimes? Nah, what crimes?" Cassandra tried pushing up to her feet, but Adira swept her legs out from beneath her and sent her falling back over in the mud.</p><p>"Oh, let's see," Adira said passively, taking long, slow strides around Cassandra's prone form. "Brainwashing me. Trying to destroy our two Kingdoms. Oh yeah…and kidnapping a Princess."</p><p>If Rapunzel needed to be surprised further, that declaration certainly did it. "Kidnapping? Adira, she didn't—"</p><p>"Not now, Princess," Adira said, casting her aside. Rapunzel, shocked by the warrior's aggression, began to approach her—only to have her path immediately cut off by Max, who intercepted her and huffed sternly, ordering her to stay still. Rapunzel was taken aback by his sudden betrayal, but instead of cowering, she planted her foot in the mud and sneered.</p><p>"Max, get out of the way," Rapunzel demanded.</p><p>Max neighed and shook his head. Rapunzel shouted again.</p><p>"Max, I said move."</p><p>His stare was fierce and unrelenting, and Rapunzel felt her confidence waver. He wasn't budging, not even an inch. Why? Was he really so mad at Cassandra all these months later that he would see her hurt and thrown in prison? No, it wasn't that, she realized. There was a subtle pain behind his eyes, and though her concern for Cassandra consumed most of her present thoughts, she was still able to put the sorrowful answer together. She had abandoned him in the dead of night, left her Kingdom behind and fled off with the woman who sought to kill them all. She did all of that while sick and dying, and now the one person he was most entrusted to protect was gone from his life with no chance of ever returning. She couldn't even be mad at him.</p><p>And what was she even supposed to do except sneer anyway?</p><p>Adira rolled her eyes at the Princess's efforts to resist her. "You know, the mime trick was cute. When I arrived at the Snuggly Duckling and saw Rapunzel there, I thought for <em>half</em> a second that you would be cruel enough to abandon her. But no. It turns out you're just a liar…on top of everything else."</p><p>Cassandra huffed into the mud. "You know, I'm sensing some resentment here."</p><p>Adira scowled, forcefully grabbing Cassandra by her collar and hoisting her up in the air. She drove Cassandra hard into the hard wall of the inn, pressing harshly as her face tightened.</p><p>"You mind-controlled me," Adira seethed. "You used me to hurt innocent people. Do you really think I could just forgive something like that?"</p><p>Cassandra, held up off her feet and bruised, battered and hopeless in her captor's hands, responded in the only manner she could think of: more sarcasm.</p><p>"I mean…I was hoping you would?"</p><p>Adira was unamused. "If you weren't friends with the Princess, I would have executed you there on the spot. But just because you had tied to royalties, you got to walk away like nothing ever happened, all crimes forgiven. That's not how I see justice."</p><p>Rapunzel cried out, trying to hold back her anger. "Adira, stop this. Cass has changed. She's not like that anymore."</p><p>"I don't care if she's changed," Adira shot back. "She owes a debt. I'm just collecting."</p><p>Cassandra, reflexively, tried taking a swing at Adira's face, but she wasn't in any position to fight back. Even if she was, Adira saw the blow coming a mile away. She blocked the punch with her arm, and hooking her hands around the back of Cassandra's head, she tossed her roughly back into the mud. Rapunzel tried rushing to Cass's side again, but Max once more blocked her path, preventing her from reaching the two feuding warriors. Rapunzel felt the pressure rising in her chest. Cass—she couldn't beat Adira without the Moonstone. Adira was fierce and experienced in a way that Cassandra couldn't ever be. Even if Rapunzel tried to avoid thinking of the worst—<em>Adira wouldn't kill Cass, she wasn't that harsh, it was just a misunderstanding—</em>she couldn't dodge the reality that her friend was in serious danger. In growing desperation, Rapunzel barked.</p><p>"Adira, as Princess of Corona, I am ordering you to stand down! You too, Max!"</p><p>Maximus didn't budge. She saw his resolve weaken, just for a moment, but his hooves remained firmly planted in the mud. Adira herself sighed and seemed to nearly succumb to the command of her once ally, but she simply pulled the sword from behind her back and grimaced, casting Rapunzel a steely glare.</p><p>"Sorry, Princess," she muttered. "I'm taking orders from the King. You've been overruled."</p><p>Overruled…</p><p>Dammit. Her father. She knew he had sent her after them, but what did he think about Cassandra? He was a stern, troubled man, and she loved him dearly, but he could be notoriously unforgiving to those who harmed his family. When Cassandra turned her back on Corona, his rage at her was only quelled by his coincidental loss of memory, denying him the fury he otherwise would have had. Even when Cassandra left, Rapunzel could feel the lingering animosity he had toward her. She had brushed it off. It was just protectiveness. Grief. That was what she told herself.</p><p>Except now that made three. Adira. Max. Her father. Three people close to her who she only just realized had never come close to showing Cassandra the same kind of compassion and empathy that she gave so willingly. She forgave Cassandra for everything—every punch, every insult, every earth-shattering blow they exchanged as they waged war with each other over the past year. She always held out hope that Cass would return to her, and when she finally did, she leaped at the opportunity to welcome her closest friend back into her life. But to the others? She was just a traitor. A conqueror. An adversary. The woman who stabbed them in the back and nearly doomed them all. Whatever mercy they would show her would be an act of kindness toward a person they believed no longer existed. All at once, Rapunzel felt betrayed, and even worse: naïve. She had underestimated the pain Cassandra left in their lives, and once again, she felt like she was just an oblivious child waiting ignorantly in her tower.</p><p>Rapunzel was helpless to save Cassandra, but Cassandra just smirked into the mud, rolling her shoulder blades.</p><p>"So, Frederic hates me, too?" she breathed heavily. "Guess it was a good thing I left when I did, huh? I doubt I'll get any touching reunions."</p><p>Adira sneered. "You are <em>very </em>chatty for a woman who's about to get beat up."</p><p>"I've been learning to control my anger," Cassandra stated. "It's been great for my self-esteem. It helps me think clearer."</p><p>"Does it now?" Adira asked. She walked over to Cassandra's side and kneeled down by her face, caked with mud-covered locks of hair. Cassandra was smirking, but she was visibly in pain. The blow to the right side of her face may have cracked her jaw. Adira felt somewhat bad. Then, she remembered the stinging whispers of Cassandra's words in her ear, forcing her to obey the Moonstone. Her pity faded quickly. "Are you thinking clearly about how out of your depth you are?"</p><p>Cassandra flashed her a pained grin. "No. Just about <em>this</em>."</p><p>Cassandra scooped up a heap of mud between her fingers, and as Adira was leaning in close, Cassandra knew she wouldn't be able to react before she threw the mud into Adira's eyes. Adira drew back reflexively, and while she was disoriented, Cassandra spun around and swept Adria's legs out from under her. Adira collapsed into the mud, and Cassandra rolled away and scurried to her feet, getting as much distance between herself and Adira as she could. She drew her sword and squared her feet, ready for the fight of her life. Adira, growling, brushed the mud out of her eyes and pushed herself up with heavy grunts.</p><p>"Okay. So that's how we're doing this," she groaned. She pulled her own sword; with the black rocks gone, she had to resort to a blade made of simple steel. She was no less dangerous. Cassandra made a series of snap judgments. Adira's had the reach advantage, so Cass kept her blade extended out further from her chest to keep Adira pushed back. She also had more experience. She was stronger. Faster. Cassandra needed to be cleverer. Her eyes darted around, checking her surroundings. There was barely anything. The inn was in the middle of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. No shops. No people. No carriages. Nothing she could use to her advantage. If she was going to win, she needed some advantage.</p><p>There was only one she could think of: Rapunzel. The dark thought flashed in her mind. <em>Adira needs Rapunzel alive. Use her as a shield. Protect yourself with her</em>.</p><p>It was a brilliant strategy.</p><p>Cassandra promptly ignored it. She wouldn't dare put Rapunzel in harm's way. Not in a million years.</p><p>As it turned out, there was no need—Rapunzel was more than willing to do it herself.</p><p>Max wasn't expecting the Princess to have any energy. He was expecting her illness to leave her debilitated and weak, easy enough to isolate away from her captor. When Adira was swept off her feet, the guard horse became distracted, and for the brief moment his head was turned, Rapunzel realized that she had to take action before anyone else was harmed. Using her recovered speed, she dove underneath his legs, and she was able to sprint past him and plant herself between the two dueling warriors. She held out her arms wide, shielding Cassandra the best she could, and while Adira and Max froze in their tracks, unable and unwilling to approach her, Cassandra reacted with shock.</p><p>"Raps, stay out of this!"</p><p>"No. This is <em>our</em> fight," Rapunzel said determinedly. "All of you need to stop this right now."</p><p>Maximus neighed and tried to circle around Rapunzel, but his path was cut off—a furious Fidella stormed past him out of nowhere, pushing him out of the way and joining Cassandra and Rapunzel in their stand-off. The horses locked eyes with each other, and though she tried, Rapunzel couldn't read the silent conversation going on between them. Fidella seemed more determined than ever, but Max hesitated. Heartbroken. Whatever was being shared between their gaze, it was enough to still the stallion's rage. Cassandra considered jumping onto Fidella's back and fleeing, but Rapunzel planted her bare feet into the mud like a statue and refused to budge.</p><p>"Raps, we should go."</p><p>Adira sneered. "As if I'd let you."</p><p>"You little—"</p><p>"Both of you, I said stop!" Rapunzel shouted. Cassandra immediately lowered her sword. Adira just tilted her head. Rapunzel pursed her lips. "Adira, you need to let us go."</p><p>"Can't do that, Princess," Adira stated. "Your father gave a very specific order."</p><p>"And I'm giving one back," Rapunzel said firmly. "If you won't leave us alone, then serve as our guide."</p><p>A guide? Cassandra shook her head. "Raps, what are you—"</p><p>"Trust me," Rapunzel said, turning back with a nod. She seemed confident. Too confident. <em>Rapunzel</em>-level confident. Cassandra, compassionately, reasonably, quietly relented. Rapunzel spoke back to Adira. "I understand why you are doing this, but I'm already out of the castle. We're here now. "It'd be easier for all of us to just go to Madrid together."</p><p>"It's not safe for you."</p><p>"Then you can keep me safe," Rapunzel explained. "Look at me. I'm already moving around more. Cass helped me recover. I can hold up over the journey. If there is any trouble, you and Max can help protect us. And then, once it's all over, you can take us back to my Dad and let him punish us however he'll see fit. You can say that we evaded you until we already got there. He won't ever have to know you helped us."</p><p>Adira looked away from them. A glimmer of doubt crossed her face. Would she actually be so willing to throw her duties away in order to help them? Adira wasn't a bad person, but their views of the world dissected sharply when it came to what constituted right and wrong. If she did reject the offer, could Rapunzel even blame her? The creeping guilt from last night had never fully faded. Whether it was even just to make the offer in the first place was beyond her. But she had to try. At least for Cassandra's sake—God knew she wouldn't stand a chance fighting Adira on her own.</p><p>And Adira knew it. Rapunzel could tell by the dull smirk that crossed her lips. That was the thing about bargaining for one's life: It only worked when they had power. They were deeply lacking in that.</p><p>"I appreciate the offer. Here's mine," Adira said calmly. "You come with me peacefully…and I don't hurt your friend worse than I have to."</p><p>
  <em>No. Come on, Adira. Please.</em>
</p><p>"You don't have to do this," Rapunzel warned her.</p><p>"It's not about what I want," Adira claimed. "I passed by a village on my way here. I know what you did to those wasps. It's impressive…and horrifying."</p><p>Rapunzel shifted uncomfortably in the mud.</p><p>"This curse can't be contained. The next time you lose control, there's no guarantee it'll just be bugs getting hurt. You have to be contained, if not for your own sake, for the sake of everyone else."</p><p>Cassandra, realizing that their hopes of a peaceful escape were dwindling by the second, brought up her sword once again. "She's not a virus."</p><p>Adira, unfazed, looked directly at Cassandra's hand. "It's a shame, Cassandra. I would think you of all people would understand just how dangerous Rapunzel can be."</p><p>Rapunzel felt the ground shift behind her. She heard Cassandra take a sharp breath. She could feel the tension and the heat radiating off of her. Her stomach twisted itself into knots.</p><p>Adira <em>really </em>shouldn't have said that.</p><p>Suddenly, Rapunzel went from blocking Adira's path to blocking Cassandra's, as all of the snarky calm and self-driven confidence drained from her like a plug pulled from a casket, and the short-haired brawler tried to rush past the Princess and take Adira head-on. Rapunzel held her back with her forearm as Cassandra snapped and screamed at Adira like a wild animal, forcing even Fidella to step in front of her and stop her before she rushed into her own certain death. Adira just smiled to herself as she watched the team in front of her dissolve into chaos and in-fighting, Cassandra jabbing out her blade toward the elder fighter even though she was several yards away. Adira was a master at exploiting her opponent's weaknesses. It was the reason she had survived as long as she did. She knew that Cassandra was vulnerable. Wounded. Prone to irrationality. But she had to admit that she wasn't expecting her comment to draw such a <em>feral </em>reaction. Was it just the bruising memory that her scarred hand brought her? No, that wasn't it. A reaction like that was drawn from something far more tender. It wasn't just her hand—it was the woman that caused it to be the way it was. Perhaps there was something far more fragile lingering beneath the surface of their relationship than either of them was letting on. Adira would have to remember that.</p><p>But while Adira was standing there, watching her opponent's resolve crumble and her chances of capturing the Princess successfully grow, she felt something…odd.</p><p>Something tingling on the back of her neck. A weird sensation that she couldn't quite shake. She hadn't noticed it before, which was unusual. Typically, her senses were so sharp that she could identify her surroundings without being able to see them. She could hear insects chirping from across valleys. She could tell the ages of trees just by touching them. She had mastered the ability to know where everyone and everything was at all times.</p><p>So how the hell did she not notice the person sitting on the roof until just now?</p><p>Adira went quiet, and when Rapunzel and Cassandra noticed that she was distracted, they couldn't help but follow her gaze up to the roof of the inn. There was a person there, lying, lounging, there back pressed against the stone chimney, and their tan arms wrapped casually around their knees. Their figure was mostly hidden beneath a cloak: a marvelous one, black and dark violet and strewn together from thousands of luscious feathers which draped down like a royal cape around their small, slender figure. A hood covered their head, and when they all became silent, the person strained their neck and glanced down at them—allowing them to see the golden skull mask covering their face.</p><p>The person spoke. Their voice was feminine. Weak. Bored.</p><p>"Oh, no, please. Don't let me stop you," they said casually. "It's far easier for me if you finish your business first."</p><p>Adira, scowling and serious, pointed her sword at the strange figure perched high up on the roof, squaring her feet as the growing sense of danger rose in her spine.</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>The figure groaned, pushing themselves up to their feet. They did not immediately respond, and so Adira asked again more forcefully.</p><p>"Who <em>are </em>you?" she demanded to know. "If you have something to say, you might as well get it out."</p><p>Rapunzel was just as confused as Adira was. Cassandra was clueless as well. So were the horses. Not a single one of them had seen the figure before, and they couldn't for the life of them think as to what they wanted. But Rapunzel instinctively took a step away from the inn. The figure wasn't moving, but their deathly visage and calm demeanor spoke more than any direct action. They may have been small, but that didn't stop Rapunzel's heart from racing when the golden skull-shaped mask turned toward her.</p><p>"You. You're the cursed one, correct?"</p><p>The question was asked so politely that Rapunzel felt her head nod automatically without even thinking.</p><p>The skull mask titled its head. "How old are you?"</p><p>How old…what kind of a question was that? None of them knew how to react to such a bizarre statement. With no idea how to respond, Rapunzel gave the simple truth.</p><p>"Twenty…I'm, um, twenty-one…"</p><p>The figure did not move.</p><p>They did not move for a long time.</p><p>Then, Rapunzel heard an audible sigh.</p><p>"Dammit…that's too young," they said regretfully. "I'm really sorry, kid…"</p><p>The figure suddenly snapped their arm, and out of the cloak came a long, thin knife, golden and black and glistening in the morning sun. They sighed, genuinely saddened.</p><p>"I hate to see lives cut short like this."</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Psychopomp</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel, Cassandra and Adira come face-to-face with an assassin, who may prove too much for them to handle.</p>
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      <p>Rapunzel was caught between three swords.</p>
      <p>The first: Cassandra, who upon seeing the woman on the roof draw her blade, pulled the Princess behind her for her own protection.</p>
      <p>The second: Adira, who was caught between fighting off Cassandra's advances and trying to decipher the arrival of their guest.</p>
      <p>And the third: the raven-cloaked, skull-faced mystery that drew their long knife atop the roof of the inn, and watched them all scurry beneath her like rodents.</p>
      <p>Yet, despite the three swords cast in her direction—including one that was directly being pointed at her—she wasn't afraid for her life. She was more concerned as to how things escalated this quickly. An hour ago, she and Cassandra were lying in a bed together, catching up with each other's lives and genuinely believing that things were starting to look up for them on their long journey to Madrid. Now, everything was falling apart.</p>
      <p>Again.</p>
      <p>Because of course, it was.</p>
      <p>"Look, there are two ways we can do this," the woman on the roof stated, her tone filled with not so much malice, but rather irritation. "The painless way, and the extremely painful way. We'd both prefer the former."</p>
      <p>She never said it outright, but it was clear who she was from the moment she took out her sword. Cassandra gritted her teeth and forced Rapunzel further behind her, despite the Princess's efforts to take a stand on her own.</p>
      <p>"If you're here to hurt Rapunzel," she threatened. "You're going to have to go through me."</p>
      <p>The figure was unamused. "Lady, trust me: That is far less of a threat than you think it is."</p>
      <p>Cassandra growled. <em>Who the hell was this woman? </em>As if she didn't have enough to deal with. Adira was standing not even ten feet away from her, eager to slice her in half as payback for the sins she committed months ago, and now there was someone else who was trying to get to Rapunzel. Add onto that her sleep deprivation and the fact she had barely eaten anything in days, and that spelled a fight that she knew she had very little chance of winning. She considered grabbing Rapunzel's arm and high-tailing it out of there. She knew they wouldn't get very far, but she could at least leave the assassin for Adira to deal with. Whoever she was, she was no match for the warrior from the Dark Kingdom.</p>
      <p>Then again, when Cassandra glanced back at the white-haired warrior to judge her reaction, she saw a woman just as baffled and concerned as she was. Something about the cloaked figure was bothering the seasoned fighter. That was enough to give Cassandra pause and quiet any intrusive thoughts that told her she would be able to easily escape this.</p>
      <p>The figure sighed, and then suddenly jumped off the roof, turning over in midair and landing gracefully on the road behind them. She splashed down in the mud but kept calm and cool, her posture straight and square as she adjusted her feet from her landing. Now on ground level, they could all see just how short she was—she couldn't be taller than five feet, if she was even that lucky. Despite her diminutive stature, however, she remained imposing, dressed like death, and completely unprovoked by Adira and Cass's blades. She kept staring straight at Rapunzel, the gold mask brightly reflecting sunlight off its polished surface, and Cassandra repositioned herself to stand between them before any harm could come their way.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel was prepared to confront the woman, when unexpectedly, Adira rushed in front of her, providing yet another human shield. Her words were far more controlled than Cassandra's, though no less pointed.</p>
      <p>"No one is going to be harming the Princess," she stated. "If that's what you are after, then you are going to have a problem."</p>
      <p>"I don't want a problem. I barely want her dead," said the figure. "But I've been asked to guide her to her death. I can't say no to a request."</p>
      <p>Adira's gaze narrowed. Guide her to her death? That phrasing was peculiar. Why was that triggering something in the back of her mind?</p>
      <p>"You're an assassin then?" Adira asked, trying to ascertain the truth before the inevitable. "Who hired you? If it's money you're after, she's a Princess. She can pay you double whatever it is to leave her alone."</p>
      <p>"Sorry. I don't work for money," the figure stated. Her voice was as small as she was, yet there was some level of maturity there that contradicted her obvious youth.</p>
      <p>"What do you work for then?"</p>
      <p>"Right now?" the figure said, directing her knife at Rapunzel. "I'm working to save humanity from her. She's been touched by <em>La Muerte Azul</em>. Of all the curses a girl can catch, that might be the most inconvenient. Do you know what her life means now?"</p>
      <p>Cassandra spoke up, defending her friend's honor. "Hey! She's not going to hurt anyone, asshole!"</p>
      <p>"Of course not," countered the figure. "She's going to hurt <em>everyone</em>. She'll decay and kill every living creature in the world before she's done. When the curse hits its apex, she will become Death itself. It's inevitable."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel's heart skipped a beat. That…that wasn't possible. She knew that the curse would grow more powerful, but everything in the world was in danger? Surely, that couldn't be right. There was no way that whatever was inside of her was powerful enough to be that dangerous. But then, she thought of the wasps, and the power that radiated from her when she triggered the curse inside of that cave. All of those insects dead in the blink of an eye. That was what she was capable of after bearing the curse for just a week. If what the woman was suggesting was even partially true…</p>
      <p>Adira spoke up before Rapunzel could linger on such terrible thoughts. "You never answered my questions. Who are you, and who hired you?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel felt the figure's eyes narrow on her through her mask. It was all very strange. If this woman was really here to kill her, why hadn't she done so already? What the hell was she stalling for? It definitely wasn't out of the goodness of her heart. No matter what she claimed, she couldn't be that moral. She was a killer, after all. But despite her deathly appearance, there was that young demeanor that was seeping through the cracks. The short height. The higher voice. The fact that she called Cassandra, "Lady." That was a strange thing for one adult to say to another. Rapunzel doubted she was a child, but still, there was something off about her that rendered her hesitant.</p>
      <p>"I am the Psychopomp," the figure stated. "I was—"</p>
      <p>Adira cut her off with an exacerbated gasp. "Wait. The Psychopomp? But you're—"</p>
      <p>"Tired of talking," the assassin said distastefully. "Look, this is going to end with her dying, so she can either come here and let me do it willingly, or I can fight through you. I think we'd all prefer the former."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel felt Cassandra place a hand on her shoulder and pull her even further back. She had already made up her mind. She was going to fight someone, whether it was Adira or this Psychopomp woman. Psychopomp…wasn't that Greek? The woman didn't have any distinguished accent though. If Rapunzel remembered correctly, a psychopomp was a creature of myth. They were beings that escorted living things to the afterlife; a fitting title for an assassin, she supposed. Yet, perhaps the most perplexing thing of all wasn't the assassin, but the sudden shift in Adira's posture. The way her fingers shifted and tightened around the hilt of her sword. The very slight quiver in her knee that betrayed a small doubt that Rapunzel couldn't recall ever seeing from her. Her elbow pulled back toward her chest. She seemed defensive. Thrown off her game.</p>
      <p>Whatever trepidation Adira felt, Cassandra was the opposite. The former bodyguard wasn't taking the threat of harm toward Rapunzel lightly, and she made no intention of hiding her rage. She was broken down by the elements, her clothes stained from rainwater and mud and dead insect blood. She was running off of maybe five hours of sleep over the past week, and Rapunzel's curse had sent her mind spiraling. And now this woman comes along—Psychopomp? What kind of name was that? She wanted to kill Rapunzel, and she was acting so damn casually about it too. That was <em>her </em>friend she was speaking about. How fucking <em>dare</em> she think that way…</p>
      <p>"I'm tired of talking, too," Cass snapped, nearly lunging past Adira's guard and taking a stab at the assassin. "If you want to fight so bad, why don't you just do it already?"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp's body tensed up. She went quiet. The wind seemed to stop blowing, and Rapunzel felt her heart skip a beat. The skull-faced mask showed zero emotion, even as the assassin's voice gave away her immaturity. What was she planning to do? The answer was simple.</p>
      <p>Attack.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel blinked, and suddenly, the assassin was there right in front of her, blade outstretched and mere inches from piercing her neck. Time slowed to a crawl. She had stormed past Adira and Cassandra before they could even react to her, and in the haze, Rapunzel saw Cassandra's eyes widen with fear and surprise and…and helplessness. A thick, deep trail had imprinted itself in the mud from where she once stood to her feet, where a pair of golden, glowing sandals radiated from beneath her raven cape. Not that Rapunzel noticed it. All she could see was the skull face consuming her vision, and then, there was Eugene. Her tower. Meeting her real parents. Varian. Lance. The kids. Pascal. The blizzard. Cassandra's betrayal. Varian's redemption. Zhan Tiri. Every single moment of her life, each vivid and colorful and lasting less than a fraction of a fraction of a second. She always heard stories of a person's life flashing before their eyes right before they died. She didn't know, however, that she would feel those memories just as powerfully as she could see them. All of her happiness and rage and love and anguish pooled and transfused into a single, horrible moment—right as the cool steel of the Psychopomp's sword touched her skin.</p>
      <p>The metal barely nicked her—and then suddenly, at the last moment, Adira battered the Psychopomp away, sending the assassin flying back into the mud.</p>
      <p>As the assassin scraped into the mud, the world seemed to unfreeze. The air rushed back into Rapunzel's chest right as she realized it was gone. She stumbled back toward the inn, grasping at her throat. The slightest mark had been left on her neck, not even deep enough to draw blood. She barely had time to find her balance or regain her footing before Cassandra suddenly grabbed onto her arm and pulled her away. She dragged Rapunzel away from the fight frantically, as Adira charged forward, not wasting the opportunity while her opponent was down. Maximus, seeking to protect Rapunzel the best he could, neighed and charged after her, while Fidella followed her owner to cover.</p>
      <p>"Come on! Hurry!" Cassandra cried, leading Rapunzel around the side of the inn. When they were out of sight of the assassin, Cassandra grabbed Rapunzel by both shoulders and talked to her as sternly as she could. "Stay here. I'm going to help Adira. If anything happens to me, get on Fidella and get as far away from here as you can!"</p>
      <p>It took a moment for Rapunzel to process her friend's words in the chaos, but she didn't truly feel the panic grip her until Cassandra tried to leave.</p>
      <p>"Wait, Cass!"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel reached for Cassandra's hand, but it just slipped away from her. The fighter raced back into the fray without looking back, going to do the one thing she was ever any good at. Rapunzel watched her with the same cruel powerlessness that had been affecting her for the past week. She instinctively wanted to run after her, but what good would that do? She didn't have her hair, and she was still worse off in a fight than the others. The only thing she would do is get in their way and distract them. Of all the times that her powerlessness had gotten to her, this moment was clearly the most damning.</p>
      <p>Cassandra rushed to get back into the fight—not that she knew if she would be any good. The Psychopomp was locked into a battle of swords with Adira, aggressively lashing out with a quick flurry of swipes that barely missed their target. Adira was in control for the moment, keeping on the backfoot, avoiding the strikes rather than parrying them, but she was moving with more care than usual. It was a stark cry from her first encounter with the mysterious warrior from the Dark Kingdom, where she dispelled Cassandra and Rapunzel's attacks without even drawing her sword. The assassin was putting up a fight. Max was trying to assist as well, jutting into the fray and kicking at the cloaked fighter with his hind legs, but she was able to roll away from the stallion's blows and keep the pressure on Adira.</p>
      <p>"You're good," the assassin said with a laugh. "Where did you get your training?"</p>
      <p>Before Adira could respond, the assassin lunged forward, drawing back her sword. Adira prepared to block, when the Psychopomp's legs suddenly pulsed with energy, and in a golden flash, she suddenly appeared behind Adira, speeding around her guard faster than Adira anticipated. Her back was wide open, and the Psychopomp swung down her short blade hard onto her defenseless target—only to be intercepted at the last moment by Cassandra's sword.</p>
      <p>"Back off!" Cassandra pushed the Psychopomp away with her sword, and the assassin tripped and stumbled back into the mud, falling with a disappointed grunt. Adira, stunned, quickly swallowed her sympathies and scolded her savior.</p>
      <p>"I had that under control," she grumbled, taking the brief moment of reprieve to regain her composure and adjust her grip on her weapon. Cassandra just smirked at her.</p>
      <p>"Sure, you did. That's why I had to save your life."</p>
      <p>"You didn't save my life," Adira stated.</p>
      <p>Except, well…yes. Yes, she did. And Adira hated to think that.</p>
      <p>Regrouped and refocused, Adira, Cassandra, and Maximus formed a line opposing the assassin, who mumbled to herself as she pushed herself up to her feet and brushed off her muddy, feathered cloak.</p>
      <p>"So, do you know this lady?" Cassandra asked nervously. "Actually, better question: do you have a plan to take her out?"</p>
      <p>"Not one that'd I would say out loud," Adira grunted.</p>
      <p>"Okay, so does that mean you <em>do </em>have a plan, or—whoa!"</p>
      <p>The words barely left Cassandra's mouth before the Psychopomp charged forward again, charging forward in all of her golden glory. By the third time, Adira had gotten a hang of the timing and intercepted the assassin where she stood, clashing and locking swords.</p>
      <p>"It means keep your focus!" Adira answered, struggling to hold the Psychopomp off despite the woman's smaller stature. The assassin groaned.</p>
      <p>"Okay, do you people constantly banter when you're fighting people?"</p>
      <p>Cassandra dipped forward, lunging past Adira's guard. "Most of the time!"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp shrugged away Cassandra's offense and backpedaled to gain distance. Cassandra and Adira pressed forward, taking turns exchanging swipes at the assassin's head. Adira swung from the right. Cass countered to the let. Adira followed up from beneath. A forward thrust from Cass. An overhead swipe from Adira. They followed each other's lead, pacing their swipes to create a constant stream of attacks toward the assassin, and though each one was deflected, they could see the Psychopomp struggle to keep up with the pressure.</p>
      <p>"Honestly, that's pretty tiring," the Psychopomp gasped.</p>
      <p>"You get used to it!" Cassandra shouted, picking up her pace. Adira attempted to charge forward, but Cassandra moved in front of her, eager to strike at the woman who dared to threaten her best friend. Adira couldn't do anything to stop her except growl and wait for her to attack, not allowing herself to give the assassin an opening to strike. Cassandra moved to take the center position, practically standing in front of Adira and leading the charge to push the Psychopomp away from the inn, driven by her desire to protect the Princess. The Psychopomp kept back on her heels. She was losing the battle. Her sword wasn't strong enough to consistently deflect Cassandra's hard strikes. She just had to push a little harder. A little bit more. Almost there.</p>
      <p>Unfortunately, Cassandra's emotions were running high, and she was inexperienced from months without proper combat, and she hadn't realized just how psychically exhausted she was from all the travel. She didn't realize just how much she had cut herself from Adira and Max's support until it was too late. She screamed, throwing all of her weight behind a stab aimed at the assassin's heart, but she used up too much of her energy. The blow whiffed like the others, and her boot lost traction in the mud, sliding her forward and knocking her off-balance. The Psychopomp took advantage of her haste, grabbing her wrist with her free hand and yanking her to the ground. Her sword clattered away from her, and for the moment, she was left defenseless—enough for the assassin to sense an opportunity to attack, and plunge her blade forward toward the defenseless woman.</p>
      <p>For Adira, watching the situation unfold in front of her, it seemed inevitable. It all happened within a moment's time. Cassandra being too brash, losing her footing and her weapon, falling to her mysterious foe. All because the woman couldn't keep her emotions in check for two damn minutes. And now, she was about to die, snuffed out like so many others. She was so stupid for getting herself into that mess, and for just an instant, Adira considered not saving her. There was no love lost between them, after all, and it was a rightful punishment for getting in her way, for controlling her mind and trying to destroy Corona. It would job of capturing Rapunzel so much easier.</p>
      <p>Just for an instant, she thought that. Just an instant.</p>
      <p>Then, without hesitation, regret, or doubt, she rushed forward to save Short Hair's life. Because of course, she would.</p>
      <p>It was a shame then that her life was hardly in any danger at all; that the Psychopomp's attack on the defenseless Cassandra was just a ploy to draw out the far more threatening target. Adira had to rush forward through the heavy mud to save Cassandra, and to deflect the short sword away, she had to duck down low and expose herself to an easy attack. Adira swooped in and struck away the short sword before it could strike its target, but the Psychopomp found her opening. She flicked her other wrist, and from the shadows of her cloak, a small, forked metallic rod snapped out into view. Cassandra watched from the floor, recoiling and flimsily guarding herself, as Adira pushed the sword away from her using her entire body weight, exposing her left side to the Psychopomp's new weapon. The assassin thrust the weapon forward, jamming the two prongs into Adira's shoulder—and when the Brotherhood member cried out, a sudden, jagged pulse of electricity shot through her, crackling brightly and reflecting into the sullen grey sky.</p>
      <p>Adira's entire body tensed up, and soon, she was even unable to scream as her throat tightened and her body went numb. She froze in her tracks as the electricity surged through her, and when the Psychopomp thought she had enough, she drew back the electric prod and watched as the noble fighter dropped to the earth like a stone, fidgeting in pain as she struck the ground.</p>
      <p>"Adira!" Cassandra cried out.</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp laughed mockingly. "Ha! Not fast enough for that one, were you?"</p>
      <p>From across the muddy street, Maximus neighed, snarling and more determined than ever. He dragged his hooves through the mud and charged forward, but the Psychopomp was ready for him as well. She had all the time in the world to raise up her arm, exposing another strange device attached to her wrist.</p>
      <p>"Sorry, horsey. Hate to do this to you."</p>
      <p>Cassandra felt helpless as the device on her wrist flicked open, revealing some sort of mounted crossbow. Maximus charged forward, but a small arrow struck him in the leg, and suddenly, though it barely pierced his skin, he was forced to a stop. Cassandra didn't understand what froze him until, with horrified alarm, she watched as the pointed tip of the arrow and the white fur beneath change color, growing static and turning a dark sickly grey. Maximus let out a panicked cry, trotting backward and glaring at his leg as it gradually grew stiff, the grey matter quickly traveling up to his body and his neck. Cassandra could only watch, confounded and terrified, as the noble steed that accompanied her on so many adventures was slowly petrified, frozen—and within mere seconds, turned to stone right before her very eyes.</p>
      <p>She couldn't believe her eyes. It wasn't real. Was…was he dead? No. Impossible. Max couldn't be dead. What did that assassin do to him? What else was she capable of? All of those powers…they had seemingly come out of nowhere. Speed sandals. A lightning baton. Arrows capable of turning people to stone. Where did this one woman gather such powerful magical artifacts? In all their journeys, they had never come across someone holding so much power at the tip of their fingers. How was Cassandra even supposed to fight against something like that? The Psychopomp stood over her, proud of her work, and Cassandra's heart sank as she realized that even more powerful items could be hiding beneath that raven-feathered cloak. Adira was incapacitated. Max was turned to rock. Rapunzel…oh, God, what was she planning on doing to Rapunzel?</p>
      <p>"Well, that was slightly harder than I thought it would be," the Psychopomp sighed, twirling her short sword between her fingers. "So, now that that's over with…any chance you want to just let me have the cursed girl?"</p>
      <p>Cassandra's fear turned to bitterness, and though she was lying face down in the mud and couldn't fight back, she gritted her teeth and turned her anguish into fiery defiance.</p>
      <p>"Go to hell," Cass growled, turning toward the mud. The Psychopomp rolled her eyes beneath her mask.</p>
      <p>"Already been there, girl. Trust me."</p>
      <p>Cassandra's mind scrambled for any plan of action. Attack. She had to find some way to attack. There had to be one last final trick she could pull.</p>
      <p>And then, through the panic and the fear, the answer came to her, clear as day. How could she so easily forget?</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp, finished with their battle, began to move past the mud-prone woman, when she suddenly stuck two gloved fingers into her mouth, and as loud as she could, she whistled sharply, drawing the assassin's attention back to her. The Psychopomp titled her head, perplexed as she calmly walked back toward her opponent. Cassandra braced herself on the ground as the assassin adjusted her grip on her blade.</p>
      <p>"What? You calling for help?" the Psychopomp taunted.</p>
      <p>Cassandra shut her eyes. Nothing was happening. Why was nothing happening?</p>
      <p>"Oh, wait. You're just stalling. Right?"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp looked left and looked right. Clearly, the whistle was a sign for calvary, but there was no one else in sight, save for the stone horse and the warrior still twitching in the mud. Cassandra clenched her fist. Come on. What was taking so long?</p>
      <p>"You know, I probably shouldn't leave you alive I guess," the Psychopomp noticed, calmly stepping over Cassandra, hovering over her defenseless form. "Although, let me just say: maybe don't talk as much during battle. It's actually pretty hard to concentrate—"</p>
      <p>A sudden, vicious screech filled the air, and the Psychopomp immediately looked upward—just in time to see the owl divebombing her, clawing at her face.</p>
      <p>The assassin screamed, stumbling back and swatting at the air as the owl assaulted her, swooping its talons down toward his favorite target: the eyes. Cassandra perked up her head at the sounds of screaming, and seeing her pet return to her, she smiled wickedly.</p>
      <p>"That a boy, Owl! Get her!" She cheered him on, and Owl screeched with enthusiasm, violently swatting at clawing at the assassin's mask.</p>
      <p>"Ack! Get off of me, you stupid bird!" the Psychopomp screamed, desperately trying to throw the bird off of her. Owl refused to relent, however, following his master's commands. His talons swiped hectically at the Psychopomp's masked face until he was finally able to hook his grip into something: the dark, vulnerable spots covering her eyes. The assassin cried out in pain as Owl hooked into her face, and with all of her effort, she managed to wrap her hands around his body and throw him away from her. The bird was thrown to the ground, but his talons remained hooked within the mask, and the golden shield flew away from the assassin's face with him. He recovered quickly, flying up and away, taking her protection with him, and the hooded woman looked up to the sky and cursed at him angrily. With a furious growl, she turned back to Cassandra, and for the first time, Cassandra could finally gaze upon the face of the woman who tried to kill them.</p>
      <p>She was young. Probably younger than she was. Her hair was so curly and stringy that it fell in coils around her face. Her coffee-colored skin was smooth, only worn away by the fresh cuts near her eyes that Owl left with his talons. Her lapis gaze was squinted and filled with a burning rage, and her thin lips curled into a grotesque, unfitting snarl. Cassandra didn't really know what she expected from an assassin, but all she saw was the face of a woman who, though by all accounts foreign to their land, was still ultimately just as human as she was.</p>
      <p>"You…you little bitch!" the Psychopomp yelled. "I'll tear your goddamn head off—"</p>
      <p>"<em>Take this!"</em></p>
      <p>The Psychopomp whipped around at the sound of another battle cry, but her reflexes failed her. Rapunzel burst across the muddy road like a bolt of lightning, frying pan held by her side, and with tremendous, powerful fury, she leaned in and swung the cooking instrument at the Psychopomp's head as hard as she possibly could. The metal connected with the assassin's skull with a mighty <em>twang</em>, and the Grecian woman spun from the force of the blow as she fell, twisting herself into knots as she was knocked unconscious into the mud. Rapunzel stood over her body, panting heavily, her knuckles red from holding onto the frying pan so tightly. She looked down at the woman with a level of disdain reserved for very few of her enemies, but once she realized that the battle was over, the hatred immediately turned to worry and relief. She rushed to Cassandra's aide, helping her friend up to her feet.</p>
      <p>"Oh, my goodness, Cass. Are you okay?" she asked, frightened.</p>
      <p>"I'm good," Cassandra groaned with a smirk. "Do me a favor. Grab a rope from Fidella's bag before you check on the others. We need to make sure this lady doesn't have any more tricks up her sleeve."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel nodded, racing back to her horse. The well-being of Adira and Max was first on her mind, far ahead of the mystery of her assassin's identity or origin. She had to protect them first and foremost. Cassandra watched her run away, carrying herself on legs that just a few hours ago could barely support their own weight, and she allowed herself to breathe deeply. The threat was averted, for now. What they lost, she hadn't yet determined. But for the moment, they were safe.</p>
      <p>She looked up to the sky and outstretched her arm. After a few seconds, Owl returned to her side, depositing the golden skull mask in her hand before settling on its perch on her arm. She smiled tenderly at him.</p>
      <p>"Good boy, Owl," she said genuinely. "Glad to know that you still have my back."</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Interrogation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With the Psychopomp in their custody, Rapunzel, Cassandra and Adira try to learn what they can about their mysterious attacker.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For all our years of writing fanfiction, we still wish we knew how to do action scenes. We hope the last chapter was okay with most people. We also hope the Psychopomp doesn't become one of those horribly annoying OCs. It's always a difficult balance with OCs to have characters that are unique and developed but don't completely overshadow the main characters. Don't worry: this is still a Cassunzel story through and through.</p><p>Oh, also, we changed the name of the story. We like it better now. We may change the description later. Who knows? Mystery! Anyways, enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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      <p>"Geez, how hard did you hit her, Raps?"</p>
      <p>"As hard as I could. I didn't realize my own strength…"</p>
      <p>"Hey, both of you. She's waking up. Get ready."</p>
      <p>She probably wasn't used to this—getting up slowly, not knowing where she was. She probably wasn't usually the one who was asking questions, struggling as she realized that her hands were tied behind her back and that her ankles were so thoroughly bound with rope that she could barely move. She was probably used to standing where they were now: over her, pointing two swords—and one very devastating frying pan—directly at her head in case she tried to escape.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel could practically replace her own thoughts with that of their captive. <em>I'm an assassin. I'm better than this. How did that dumb Princess get the better of me?</em> Rapunzel wished she could answer that with some confidence. By all accounts, she should be dead. The Psychopomp had been toying with them, engaging in all of their banter and their tricks, delaying the inevitable out of some gross combination of amusement and pity. She underestimated their abilities, and because of that, maybe, they were still alive. Rapunzel wanted to make sure she never got the chance to rectify that mistake.</p>
      <p>The aftermath of the fight was swift as they figured out what to do with her. Adira took care of the rope-tying, despite Cassandra's insistence. Petty rivalries really weren't helping anyone, something Rapunzel made sure to remind her best friend. Adira was still sore when she carried the Psychopomp into the inn, flexing her shoulder to try to regain any feeling in her arm. That electric blast came out of nowhere, and she could still feel the tingling gently jumping up and down her muscles like ripples across a stream. <em>"I'm fine," </em>she insisted, though honestly, Rapunzel doubted she would ever admit to being hurt. Dealing with pain was something that Adira must have been used to—an unfortunate thought that Rapunzel didn't try to linger on.</p>
      <p>Oh, and explaining what was happening to the innkeeper? Or, more specifically, <em>not</em> explaining? That cost an extra few shiny gold coins so they wouldn't get kicked out. Turns out that most people aren't very forgiving of armed combat on their property.</p>
      <p>There was also the matter of Maximus—poor Maximus. Rapunzel shuddered at the thought? Was he all right? Whatever the assassin did to him, she had to find a way to reverse it. She was sure there had to be a way. There always was. And then there was also Cassandra, who was more anxious than ever to get the assassin secured. Keeping Cassandra at bay was almost harder than the fight itself. She settled for letting Cassandra take her weapons and gadgets away from her and put them safely up on the bed, though she couldn't help but notice her friend being a tad rougher than necessary when she stripped the fighter of her sandals. But somehow, despite all of their differences, and their injuries, and the lingering confusion over what was happening in the first place, they managed to get the Psychopomp tied down by the foot of the bed in the inn room. By the time the assassin awakened, they had come up with a plan to deal with her.</p>
      <p>Well…sort of?</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp's face stiffened, and once she realized that her binds were unbreakable, she looked up at her captors and sneered.</p>
      <p>"Let. Me. Go."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel looked to her left and her right. Neither Adira nor Cassandra wavered. Funny; just a few short minutes ago, they were at each other's throats. She supposed she had a knack for bringing people together through adversity, even if it was completely unintentional. Rapunzel stepped forward, holding her frying pan out in front of her threateningly, and shook her head.</p>
      <p>"Not before you tell us everything we want to know," she stated. "First, tell us how to unfreeze Maximus. Then, tell us who you are and who asked you to kill me." She tried to read the assassin's face. She was really was young. A child compared to her, yet with none of the innocence and twice the rebellious instinct. Stripped of her mask and her raven-feathered cloak, she was dressed rather plainly in brown colors and form-fitting clothes. She would hardly stand out from a crowd. There was barely a scratch on her, except for the marks left near her eyes by Owl. That same bird perched on the windowsill, eagerly surveying the situation unveiling before him, just in case he needed to strike again. The assassin's eyes drifted to him for a moment, and she muttered under her breath.</p>
      <p>Her piercing eyes locked back with Rapunzel's. "I'm not telling you anything. Let me go."</p>
      <p>"That's not an option."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp rolled her eyes, but Rapunzel didn't let it get to her. They were alive, after all. More importantly, they were in control. It was that fact that really seemed to upset the assassin once she fully realized where she was, and what had happened to her some twenty minutes earlier. It didn't bother her that she was tied up in a stupid, shady inn, barely big enough to fit the four of them, nor did it bother her that all of her tools and equipment were taken from her. Oh no: she could handle that. Rapunzel could tell just by looking at her. But letting herself get beaten by <em>them</em>? That was a bridge too far. There was already enough pride in the room between Cass and Adira. Adding more just created unnecessary complexities.</p>
      <p>"Look," Cassandra stated, stepping toward their captive. "There's the easy way we do this or the hard way."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp just snickered. "Heh. That's supposed to be my line."</p>
      <p>"Do you think we're joking?" Cass responded angrily. The Psychopomp was unamused.</p>
      <p>"I think you're using empty threats."</p>
      <p>"We're using what?"</p>
      <p>"You heard me," the Psychopomp cracked. "You're pointing all those swords at me. <em>Oooh, how scary</em>. Like any of you would actually hurt me."</p>
      <p>Cassandra growled and stepped forward. "Wanna see me try?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel, avoiding catastrophe, reached out and placed her hand on Cassandra's chest, holding her back. "Cass. Don't."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp just huffed. "See. That's what I'm talking about. There are two ways to extract information. Threats or compliments. You people aren't the threatening types. I know you. You won't torture me, or hurt me, or let anything bad happen to me, so just stop acting tough, let me go, and let's get fighting again before I die of boredom."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel tried her best to tame Cassandra's fury, though it may have been too late at that point. She didn't know what had gotten into that woman. She wasn't this protective of her back when she was her literal bodyguard. Yet in the past however many days, she felt like Cassandra had been snapping to defend her more than usual. She would have to schedule a talk with her when there were less pressing matters. While the two were spatting, Adira sighed and sheathed her sword, seemingly giving up on the idea of threatening the assassin entirely.</p>
      <p>"I told you this wouldn't work," she said bluntly. "The Psychopomp is trained to withstand all sorts of torture. No offense, Princess, but you wouldn't be willing to squish a fly."</p>
      <p>"That's not true," Rapunzel said meekly. "I've squished tons of flies."</p>
      <p>"And Short Hair probably wouldn't be able to hit fly with a broomstick," Adira added.</p>
      <p>Cassandra groaned. "Oh, wow. Great. I save your life, and now we're right back to the insults."</p>
      <p>"You are implying that we are anywhere close to even," Adira claimed. She spoke so plainly that she might as well not have been feeling anything at all. The act that her grudge seemed boring even to her only further served to piss Cassandra off more.</p>
      <p>"Hey, how do you even know what a Psychopomp is?" Cassandra asked, changing the topic to distract herself from her own boiling blood.</p>
      <p>Adira answered simply. "I know what everything is."</p>
      <p>"Including the concept of humility, apparently."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel, stuck in the middle of them, closed her eyes and just screamed. "Please, everyone! Can we stop fighting for just one moment?"</p>
      <p>Cassandra's expression softened. Adira crossed her arms. It was honestly more out of either than them that Rapunzel was expecting. She knew it was difficult for them; heck, they <em>were </em>ready to stab each other not too long ago. All of those positive thoughts about relaxing tensions may have been a little premature. Still, she hoped that both of them cared enough about protecting her to stop fighting for just a moment—at least long enough to get something useful out of their captive.</p>
      <p>That very same captive was <em>loving </em>their fight, though. She loved it so much that she actually allowed herself to do something other than sneer. A wicked, near-petulant smile crossed her face, and as Cassandra and Adira's argument came to a standstill, she took advantage of the silence to mockingly coo at her opponent's weakness.</p>
      <p>"Oh, no. <em>Please</em>. Don't stop for me," she teased. "It's so fun watching you try to be intimidating and failing."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel scrunched her nose and pointed accusingly at the tied-up assassin. "You be quiet."</p>
      <p>"Make me."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel groaned. Now <em>she </em>was losing her temper. Today was supposed to be a good day. She started it by getting her energy back. Why was the universe being so frustrating?</p>
      <p>Deep breaths, Rapunzel. Deep breaths. Focus. Just…just focus.</p>
      <p>"Adira," Rapunzel asked calmly. "What do you know about her?"</p>
      <p>"Her specifically? Nothing," Adira admitted. "The Psychopomp? Plenty."</p>
      <p>Cassandra placed her hands on her hips. "Wait, how does that make sense? She <em>is </em>the Psychopomp." She smacked her lips together, rolling her tongue around her mouth. "Psychopomp, Psychopomp…man, that's weird to say."</p>
      <p>"She's <em>a </em>Psychopomp. I don't think she's the first," Adira explained. She carefully paced around to the side of the bed, keeping her eyes locked onto the young assassin as if she were carefully studying her. "I remember hearing about the Psychopomp when I was training as part of the Brotherhood. That was a long time ago, as you can imagine. I heard stories about a legendary assassin from the Grecian Isles, deadlier than anyone else in the world. They had a collection of rare magical artifacts that were imbued with the powers of the Gods themselves. The speed of Hermes, the strength of Heracles…" Adira grimaced, gently shrugging her injured shoulder. "The lightning of Zeus."</p>
      <p>Adira looked over the many magical artifacts laying on the bed. They had taken great care to remove them, not knowing how dangerous any of them truly were. There were around sixteen in all, varying in shape and purpose. Rings. Swords. Bags of powder. Crystals. Any one of them could kill if misused, and despite her earlier boast about knowing everything, even Adira acknowledged that she didn't understand the specific powers the Psychopomp had at her disposal. Cassandra, far less cautious, immediately walked to the bed and grabbed the pronged rod that had dealt so much damage to the painted Brotherhood warrior, holding it in front of her face to examine it.</p>
      <p>"Lightning of Zeus, huh?" she wondered aloud, before Adira snatched the device out of her hands before she could even blink.</p>
      <p>"Careful, please," Adira reprimanded her. From the floor, the assassin's smile faded, and her unsavory sneer returned.</p>
      <p>"Yeah. Hands off my stuff."</p>
      <p>Cassandra pursed her lips, and unintimidated grabbed something else from the bed: the small crossbow that was used to attack Max.</p>
      <p>"Let me guess. Medusa arrows? I assume there's a reverse version, right?"</p>
      <p>"Reverse version?" The Psychopomp seemed baffled. "Oh, what? For the horse? You want to unfreeze the horse?"</p>
      <p>"That <em>horse</em> is our friend," Rapunzel said sternly. "And a more honorable fighter than most people I know.</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp laughed. "I'm sorry. The horse is what now?"</p>
      <p>Adira couldn't help but shake her head. "Don't take it lightly. That horse is no joke."</p>
      <p>"As I can tell from the fact that he's frozen solid."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel snapped. "Do <em>not</em> talk about Max that way."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp seemed unperturbed—until she noticed the owl in the window, glaring at her and stretching out its wings. It probably wouldn't attack her. Almost certainly not again.</p>
      <p>Right?</p>
      <p>Then again…</p>
      <p>"I-It's only temporary," the Psychopomp said quickly. "He'll go back to normal in about twelve hours. He won't even feel a thing. Just don't knock him over until then."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel's mouth curled into a slight smile. Was it really that simple, or was she just being lied to? She supposed the girl had no reason to lie. She already knew they weren't going to hurt her—at least, the humans in the room wouldn't. She let herself breathe a sigh of relief. Max would be okay. She repeated that in her head. Max would be okay. It was crazy that such a simple thing would make her feel so good. After Pascal and Eugene, she wasn't sure if she could bear another loss so soon—especially if it was because of her. Max never would have been in danger if she had just stayed put in Corona. If she had only done what everyone asked her to…or if she had just given into the assassin's demands…</p>
      <p>And there was that creeping guilt again. Poisoning her mind. Whispering to her and burrowing deep in her soul, sucking her dry like a leech.</p>
      <p>Cassandra noticed Rapunzel's hesitation, and for a moment, she contemplated taking her aside and comforting her. She thought against it. Now wasn't really the time to show weakness. They needed information. Never one to be impractical, she turned her frustration into determination and strategy, thinking of how to drive what they needed to know out of the young killer. Direct threats weren't getting anything done. In fairness, they should have seen that coming. Rapunzel? Threatening? Even when she was slaying literal demons and fighting her with sun powers, she was hardly intimidating. It was those big, innocent-looking eyes. They needed a new line of approach.</p>
      <p>Youth…now that was something to exploit.</p>
      <p>Cassandra placed the crossbow down on the bed and knelt on the floor beside the assassin, getting up close and personal to the woman that tried to kill her less than an hour ago.</p>
      <p>"So, you heard about the Psycho-whatever when you were a kid," she reasoned. "That means that either this girl has a potion that can make her young forever, or she's a different person than the one you've heard about."</p>
      <p>Adira nodded. "I'm assuming it's the latter. The Psychopomp is a legend more than a person. It makes sense to me that it would serve as a title passed down from one person to another. That way, no matter how much time passed, or if the current Psychopomp died, they would always find a way to keep the legend going on. It'd keep the assassin's identity a secret, too, if it kept getting moved to new people. It's a rather effective way to maintain a reputation. Legends are often more important than actions."</p>
      <p>Cassandra smirked at the assassin, whose face remained still as Adira pieced together her backstory. "I get it. So, you just started out in the assassin game, didn't you?"</p>
      <p>The girl did not answer.</p>
      <p>"That would explain why we aren't dead," Adira noted, admiring the lightning weapon herself. "The legends I heard about the Psychopomp was that they could take down a hundred men at a time. If she's really inexperienced…"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp writhed in her binds, snarling at Adira. The elder fighter simply pursed her lips and shook her head, as if scolding a disobedient child.</p>
      <p>"Okay. She doesn't like it when you call her inexperienced. Noted."</p>
      <p>"So <em>that</em> gets a reaction out of her," Cassandra stated. The disdain in her voice was so grossly apparent that Rapunzel almost felt bad for the assassin for having to put up with her. It wasn't like Cassandra was unjustified in her anger. But teasing her? She was still a child, and Rapunzel didn't want to think of what terrible circumstances led to a person becoming a killer at such a young age.</p>
      <p>"Show some respect," the Psychopomp warned, but Cassandra just loudly snickered.</p>
      <p>"Show respect? To the brat who tried to sneak attack us?"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp sneered. "Don't call me a brat."</p>
      <p>"Oh, I'm sorry, kid. Didn't mean to offend you."</p>
      <p>Another growl. Another glare. Rapunzel hesitantly stepped forward.</p>
      <p>"Cass—"</p>
      <p>"You know, can I offer you some fighting advice?" Cassandra said, checking her nails. "If you are going to fight someone, don't talk. Just fight. Talking is for losers."</p>
      <p>"W-What?" The Psychopomp stuttered. "You idiots were talking the whole time!"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, but we're used to that," Cassandra shrugged. "You know, we have experience. Grown-up experience."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel was dumbfounded as the Psychopomp's brow furrowed. Cassandra seemed completely laid back, a far cry from the bloodlust she was displaying earlier. What the hell was she planning though? Pissing off the woman they needed information from was hardly a wise move. Had she gone insane?</p>
      <p>Unless…</p>
      <p>"Stop it. I know what you're trying to do," the Psychopomp warned. "It won't work."</p>
      <p>"Looks like it's already working," Cassandra smirked. "I mean, I can already see the tears welling in your eyes."</p>
      <p>"Shut up. I'm an assassin. You think you can talk down to me?"</p>
      <p>"I mean, 'assassin' is pretty generous," Cassandra claimed. "A real assassin wouldn't have gotten her ass kicked by a literal princess. Rapunzel is a princess. You do know that right? Like, she's a flower child. She doesn't even wear shoes. Can you imagine seriously losing a fight to her? I bet the last Psycho-whatsit would have killed her in about twenty seconds."</p>
      <p>"Don't push it."</p>
      <p>"Heck, <em>I've </em>lost to Rapunzel once, and I still haven't let it down."</p>
      <p>"Shut. Up."</p>
      <p>"Shit, I bet you've never even <em>killed </em>anyone before."</p>
      <p>The last comment pushed the Psychopomp over the edge. She gritted her teeth, straining against her binds. She bit and snapped at the air like a rabid animal. Adira was taken aback by the spontaneous viciousness, but Cassandra remained calm as ever, kneeling by the assassin's legs and barely reacting to her outburst. She checked her nails again and rolled her eyes, looking so comically <em>over it</em> that her intentions became clear immediately to the Princess watching her. Cassandra had always been good at pushing buttons; one only needed to ask Eugene about all the borderline harassment she received. But Rapunzel was impressed—she was playing the assassin so effectively that she got her screaming and throwing a fit within seconds. If Rapunzel didn't know any better, she would say that Cass ruined whatever chance they had of making ground with the child.</p>
      <p>But Cass was smart. Blunt. Clumsy, sometimes. But smart. She would never intentionally sabotage herself like that. Everything she did had a point. And though it was a bit outside-the-box, Cassandra was actually acting quite normally. The two had talked about this very situation in the past.</p>
      <p>"<em>Ooh, Cass. I should be the bad cop."</em></p>
      <p>"<em>Raps, you are the furthest thing from a bad cop I can possibly think of."</em></p>
      <p>"<em>Maybe I can be a different type of bad cop."</em></p>
      <p>"<em>I don't think being super nice and handing people cookies is a type of bad cop."</em></p>
      <p>"<em>It can be."</em></p>
      <p>A new type of bad cop. Rapunzel had to hand it to Cassandra: She was certainly inventive. The fundamental purpose of a good-cop-bad-cop routine was to get the captive in a position where they would be trusting enough to reveal information. Usually, it was through the creation of a contrast, and traditionally, that contrast was brought about by threats. A person was supposed to <em>fear</em> the bad cop. But getting annoyed and mocked by the bad cop? That was clever.</p>
      <p>All Rapunzel had to do was follow through.</p>
      <p>"Cassandra, that's enough." Rapunzel's calls were stern enough that Cassandra's smug grin faded, and the Princess motioned for her friend to go outside. Cassandra very <em>painfully</em> groaned and stood up. Rapunzel turned to the other warrior in the room, motioning all the same. "Adira, you too."</p>
      <p>"Princess," Adira questioned, "do you think leaving her alone is a good—"</p>
      <p>"Now," Rapunzel instructed. Adira hesitated, completely clueless, but Cassandra followed her best friend's instructions without pause. She threw up her arms in defeat and sauntered toward the door, loudly mumbling in disagreement.</p>
      <p>"Suit yourself. Try not to kill yourself." She bitterly walked past Rapunzel but stopped ever so briefly to shoot the Princess a subtle, proud smile, hidden from the assassin's view. She mouthed silently. <em>"Charm her ass off, Raps."</em></p>
      <p>Rapunzel didn't react. But she would. She'd have to. Cassandra stopped again in the doorway and whistled, and Owl heeded his master's call and flew to the perch on her arm. She left the inn without any more fuss, and sensing that she wasn't going to get anywhere on her own, Adira relented and followed suit.</p>
      <p>"Keep an eye on her wrists. If she starts to break free, scream as loud as you can."</p>
      <p>Her advice was appropriately brief. Rapunzel nodded. It was kind of Adira to look out for her. Despite their recent adversity, she was still a dependable ally. She didn't know what their future would look like; she severely doubted that Adira would let her continue on her mission to Madrid with assassin's hunting her. But for the first time in days, she felt truly hopeful that things would turn out okay.</p>
      <p>Assuming, of course, that Adira wouldn't murder Cassandra when they were left alone together. Rapunzel decided not to linger on such depressing things.</p>
      <p>Soon, Adira was gone, shutting the door behind her. It was just Rapunzel and the Psychopomp alone. A Princess and her would-be killer. There was a glib tension between them. They knew they couldn't hurt each other. No point in keeping up pretenses. But Rapunzel still had a job to do, and she approached it with the same level of passion and drive that she brought to everything in her life. The murderous intent was different, but like most things, her goal involved being very, <em>very </em>nice to someone. The past week had strained her confidence, but this?</p>
      <p>She had this in the bag.</p>
      <p>"I'm so sorry about Cassandra," Rapunzel began earnestly. "She can get kind of…mean sometimes."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp's scowl hardly diminished in Cass's absence. "No, you're not. You like making me upset."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel smiled sadly. "You must not know a lot about me, then."</p>
      <p>"I know all I need to," the Psychopomp stated. "Princess. Cushy life. Former Sundrop wielder. Cursed and going to destroy the entire world."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel cautiously approached her. "I think we can get to know each other a little better. Do you even know my name?"</p>
      <p>"Don't need to."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel carefully sat down in front of the assassin, crossing her legs and speaking slowly. "I'm Rapunzel. What's your name?"</p>
      <p>"I can't tell you."</p>
      <p>"Can't or won't?"</p>
      <p>"Both."</p>
      <p>"Okay, then." Rapunzel changed tactics. "You know, Cassandra and I used to be enemies, too. She wasn't kidding when she said that we fought each other."</p>
      <p>"And what? You were so polite to her you made her un-evil?"</p>
      <p>"Something like that."</p>
      <p>"Well, I'm glad you didn't kill her. She's <em>so </em>much fun to be around."</p>
      <p>"I promise that she's not that bad when you get to know her. She had some problems, and…admittedly, I may not have treated her the best."</p>
      <p>"I don't care."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel continued anyway, her smile turning somber. "She always tried so hard to be the best. She was my Lady-in-Waiting, assigned to protect me at all costs. But I didn't think I needed protection. I didn't want it. I tried so hard to prove that I didn't need her, and at the time, I thought that was okay. I didn't realize what I was doing to her…how worthless I was making her feel. I was trying so hard to always shine as bright as I could, but I didn't realize that I was trapping her in my shadow. Our friendship broke down, and she…well, she found out some <em>things</em> that were really complicated, and then we fought. We fought a lot. She really hated me back then. To tell you the truth, I think a part of her might still hate me."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp's snarl softened. "Why are you telling me this?"</p>
      <p>Rapunzel shrugged tiredly. "I…I don't know. Maybe I just want to be thankful. Ever since this curse started, I've been having to think about a lot of things. I haven't had a lot of time to do as much as I could have. I spent the first eighteen years of my life locked in a tower. My only view of the world came out a single window. When I broke free of that, I spent the next three years trying to do everything I could. I went on adventures. I met my husband. I got to meet so many amazing people and learn all these wonderful things. But…during that time, I lost Cassandra. My best friend abandoned me. I eventually got her back, but I can't help but look back and just think about all the time we lost. I'm glad we're back together now, but it isn't enough. It's never going to be. And that's been something I've been trying to come to terms with.</p>
      <p>"But also…it helps remind me that things aren't so bad. There was a time when we were so at each other's throats that I thought we'd never make amends. But now, she's here by my side again. She's still my friend. And no matter how things bad things get, no matter how hopeless things may seem, it can get better. Even though we were enemies back then, we don't have to be now. And you and I don't have to be enemies either. I don't expect you to care, but…I just wanted you to know that."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp looked down at the ground. Her jaw tightened. Rapunzel could see a small war wage behind her blue eyes. She was getting through…</p>
      <p>"I'm not your enemy."</p>
      <p>"You tried to kill me."</p>
      <p>"And I said that wasn't personal," the assassin stated. "I don't take hit jobs for money. I operate on a code. I only kill when it serves the greater good."</p>
      <p>"And killing me serves the greater good?" Rapunzel asked, hurt.</p>
      <p>"You do know what curse you have, right?" The Psychopomp warned. "Those scars are looking worse by the second. If that curse reaches its full potential, your friend Cassandra and her stupid owl are just going to be the first people to suffer."</p>
      <p>"Then help me stop it," Rapunzel pleaded. She could see the sympathy in the assassin's face. She was just a kid. A good kid. She could change her mind.</p>
      <p>"There is no way to stop it," the assassin said directly. "The only way this ends is if you die."</p>
      <p>"We don't know that," Rapunzel explained. "We're going to Madrid. We think there are witches there. Followers of the Coven of Carmine Therasia Navarro de la Sombra: the witch who created this curse. If we can just talk to them, we may be able to find a way to undo this. Help us find them. If you really aren't my enemy—if you don't want me to die—then you should help save my life."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp looked at her for a long time, perplexed and utterly fascinated. Rapunzel couldn't tell what was happening inside that head. Was she getting through? She could only hope so. Please, God, let something go right. Let her not be wrong about this.</p>
      <p>Then, the Psychopomp did something Rapunzel didn't expect.</p>
      <p>She started to laugh.</p>
      <p>"Oh, no. You've got to be kidding me."</p>
      <p>The laugh wasn't insidious. If anything, it felt more disappointed than anything. Like a cruel joke had just been played on her.</p>
      <p>"W-What's so funny?" Rapunzel asked worriedly.</p>
      <p>"You're…you're looking for the Coven de la Sombra?" The Psychopomp asked darkly.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel felt her heart sink. "Don't tell me. They don't exist?"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp just closed her eyes and sighed. "Don't exist? Rapunzel…they're the ones who asked me to kill you."</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. A New Line of Approach</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After learning the truth from the Psychopomp, Rapunzel can't afford to lose hope, even with her chance for a cure slipping away.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you fucking kidding me?"</p><p>Rapunzel tried to stay calm. Deep, simple breaths, she reminded herself. Cassandra, well, she didn't understand the meaning of the word calm.</p><p>"Cass, please," Rapunzel begged her. Cassandra couldn't standstill. Ever since Rapunzel relayed to her the information from the Psychopomp, she had been storming around in a violent fury outside, unable to stop herself from screaming. She had punched the wall twice already. The innkeeper had already badgered them for more money, and Rapunzel knew that Cassandra's frustrated screams were definitely penetrating the thin walls of the inn. Her anguish was probably music to the assassin's ears. Cassandra didn't really care. Why would she? Rapunzel looked past Cass and saw Fidella quietly examining Max's frozen statue, unsure of when he would ever return to normal. Another friend sacrificed because of her curse—admittedly, they had a lot to be upset about.</p><p>"So, we've been spending all this time hunting down these witches, thinking they can help us," Cass ranted, "but really, they just want us dead."</p><p>Rapunzel crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the inn, squishing the mud beneath her toes. "Can you please calm down?"</p><p>"Calm down?" Cassandra said even louder, practically offended by the suggestion. "Why the fuck should I be calm?"</p><p>Rapunzel pursed her lips, muttering. "And now you're cursing again."</p><p>"Oh, <em>sorry</em>, Raps," Cassandra sneered. "Is my <em>fucking</em> language not <em>fucking</em> appropriate for this <em>fucking</em> situation? We just lost the one lead we had to undo this curse, and now we have literally nothing left to go on. These past few days have basically been worthless, and it's not like we have the time to spare."</p><p>"Let's try to think on the bright side," Rapunzel said softly. "At least we found out we were on the wrong path now. It would have been really bad if we had gotten to Madrid and found out then that they couldn't help us."</p><p>Cassandra just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Because of all the distractions and the weather and the, you know, attempted murder, we were pretty close to Corona when we found out you were going to certainly die. That's so much better! Why didn't I think of that?"</p><p>Rapunzel's patience grew thin. She unfolded her arms and carefully approached Cassandra, stopping the other woman in her tracks long enough to rest her hands on her shoulders and force her to look her in the eyes.</p><p>"Cass," she said seriously, "I get that this is frustrating. Believe me, I get it. But this is not over. We <em>will </em>find a way out of this."</p><p>Cassandra couldn't even bear to look the Princess in the face. She sounded so sure of herself. What the hell was her problem? How was she able to keep herself together? Maybe that wasn't it though; back when they first reunited, the poor thing was stumbling through the rain, half-drowned and desperately trying to brave the elements alone in a foolhardy show of selflessness. Perhaps a better way of thinking of it wasn't that Rapunzel was necessarily good at holding herself together—she was just remarkably good at picking up the pieces of herself whenever they shattered. How soon after Cass betrayed her had she gone back to her normal life, singing and smiling like nothing ever happened between them? How quickly did she forgive her for all of the terrible things she had done? Rapunzel could probably sew dresses with the stitches used to heal her broken heart. This was just another setback for her, another challenge for her to eventually overcome. No wonder she could be so calm. Unlike Cass, she wasn't quite used to the expected sting of failure.</p><p>She sighed, trying to make sense of things in her head. "Raps, our only solution just tried to kill us. I'm not sure there are very many ways left."</p><p>Cassandra tried to pull away—God only knew she couldn't deal with Rapunzel's optimism right now—but the Princess grabbed her hand before she could even take a single step.</p><p>"Hey, can we talk for a second?" Rapunzel asked forcefully. Cassandra tried to hide her grimace to little avail. "You have been acting <em>very </em>on edge lately."</p><p>Cassandra huffed. "Gee, how can you tell?"</p><p>"Be honest with me. Are you dealing with this okay?"</p><p>The question was honest. Sympathetic, even. Yet, Cassandra made herself ignore it, drawing Rapunzel's suspicions even further. The Princess's features softened, trying to find the truth within Cass's stoic face.</p><p>"When I first told you about the curse, you barely reacted," Rapunzel reminded her. "You treated like it was no big deal. You even calmed <em>me</em> down. But ever since we started traveling, you have been getting protective, and…and snappy, and all these other kinds of mean things."</p><p>Cass winced, responding dully. "What's your point?"</p><p>Rapunzel hesitated, realizing that she was basically treading on a very thin wire. "I'm just saying that…I know what the stages of grief look like, Cass. Denial. Anger. Then—"</p><p>"Oh, fuck off," Cassandra groaned. She pulled her hand away sharply and marched back toward the inn. She made it about maybe halfway to the door before she stopped dead in her tracks. Did…did she just tell Rapunzel to fuck off? She hadn't even realized those words were coming out of her mouth until they had already slipped past her tongue. Goddammit…</p><p>She turned to apologize, but Rapunzel didn't seem upset. She stood there in the mud, alone underneath a grey sky with nary a glimmer of anger or regret on her. She was perfectly understanding of her outrage, and somehow, that only made Cassandra feel even worse about what she had said. She closed her eyes and hung her head, but before she got out the first syllables of an apology, she heard footsteps in the mud, and soon, Rapunzel was wrapping her arms around her, gently rubbing her back, soothing her like a lost child.</p><p>"Hey," Rapunzel said quietly, resting her head into the crook of Cass's neck. "I know I just said I'll make it out of this. And I…I <em>do</em> believe that. But…just in case I don't…you are going to be okay, right?"</p><p>There was a very long pause before Cassandra's answer. The truth was that she didn't need to say it—both of them already, unfortunately, knew. In the end, she wisely kept her mouth shut. Better than lying. Always had been.</p><p>"Dammit, Raps," Cassandra finally hissed. "What are we going to do?"</p><p>Rapunzel <em>wished</em> she had a better answer to that question. They had been riding all their hopes on the idea that this coven would be able to help them. If they really did send an assassin after them, that probably meant they didn't think they could undo the curse, either. If they couldn't undo the curse…</p><p>It was too hard to think like that. Rapunzel squeezed Cassandra tighter and tried to find her determination. There had to be another way out of this. Cass…Cass needed her to find another way out of this.</p><p>Whatever moment they had between them was cut short. Cassandra barely had a moment to absorb Rapunzel's embrace before the door to the inn opened, and Adira peered outside, barely giving them any emotional consideration at all.</p><p>"Hey. The assassin wants to chat."</p><p>Rapunzel pulled away from Cassandra quickly, desperate to leave the moment—and all of its implications—behind her. She returned to the room without delay, leaving Cassandra to linger in those brazen emotions that she unknowingly stirred inside of her. Adira guided her back to the room, which was much in the same condition that she left it. She figured; all she had asked Adira to do was stand guard, and when Adira was told to guard someone, she did so without any chitchat or fuss. She was like a statue, and though Rapunzel couldn't truly tell what happened inside the room while she was gone, she assumed it involved both women staring at each other very, very bitterly. The Psychopomp didn't seem to warm to her presence, either, but Rapunzel could see her shoulders loosen when she stepped in the door. Their conversation had done something, after all.</p><p>"You. Princess. Get over here."</p><p>Despite Adira's silent warnings, Rapunzel heeded the assassin's request and walked toward the bed. She took a seat in front of her, just like they did before, legs crossed and spine straight. They were going to talk as people, despite their differences. It was respectful. It was what they deserved.</p><p>"Are you willing to help us now?" Rapunzel asked gracefully.</p><p>The Psychopomp just glared at her. "I already told you. There is no helping you."</p><p>"I don't believe that."</p><p>"Your friend does. This place has thin walls."</p><p>Rapunzel tried her best to brush that comment aside. Calm, Rapunzel. Stay calm. No matter what.</p><p>"Let's not talk about her. I want to talk about you."</p><p>"What about me?"</p><p>Rapunzel tapped her fingers against her lap in thought. "You said you won't help me because you can't. Does that mean that if there was a way to help me, you would do that?"</p><p>"If my bosses asked me to, and it would be for the good of the world, sure. But you don't get precedent over others."</p><p>"Right. Because I'm dangerous."</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"And your bosses," Rapunzel inquired. "They're the Coven de la Sombra, correct?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"And they want me dead to stop the curse."</p><p>"Congrats on paying attention."</p><p>"Any chance I could talk to them?"</p><p>The Psychopomp shook her head. "The only way you'd be able to talk to them is by going to Madrid, and I'm not sure if you realized this, but the second they laid their eyes on you, they'd try to shoot an arrow through your head."</p><p>"Are you sure?" Rapunzel pressed her. "Did they really think that there was no other way to fix this other than killing me?"</p><p>"Hey, I don't know," the Psychopomp stated. "I was just told the basics and that it was a 'fate-of-the-universe' situation. If they did this out of convivence or necessity, I don't know."</p><p>"You don't know? They're your bosses."</p><p>"I have many bosses."</p><p>"Are you used to working with them?"</p><p>The Psychopomp shook her head. "Nope. I only met them yesterday."</p><p>Wait, yesterday? Rapunzel's brow furrowed. She needed to dig even deeper. "Only yesterday?"</p><p>"I just said that."</p><p>"I know," Rapunzel said, trying to stay on the assassin's good side. "But I'm just confused. You talked to them yesterday? I thought the Coven was located in Madrid."</p><p>"They are."</p><p>"But you spoke to them? Like, actually spoke to them? Or did you get your request some other way?"</p><p>The Psychopomp just scowled. "Some…other way?"</p><p>"A note. A pigeon—"</p><p>"You think people send me assassination requests on a pigeon?"</p><p>Rapunzel smiled awkwardly. "I, uh, don't really know a lot about the whole 'murdering people thing."</p><p>The Psychopomp just sighed, immensely disappointed in herself for getting kidnapped by such an idiot. "If you want someone dead so badly, you come to see a woman in person. Everyone knows that. We don't do this by mail, you know."</p><p>"That's what I don't understand, though," Rapunzel explained. "Where were you originally located? If they traveled all the way to Greece to see you—"</p><p>"Then how did I get from Greece to here in a matter of hours?" The Psychopomp finished her thought. "I'm a globe-trotting assassin with a giant collection of magical artifacts. Did you really think I'd travel by horse?"</p><p>Rapunzel found what she was looking for. "So you have a way to get travel quickly?"</p><p>"Not just quickly," the assassin noted. "<em>Instantaneously</em>. I don't know how it works. Something with warping space and time and all that. The end result is that I can be anywhere in the world in a matter of minutes. It's pretty convenient for hunting people down."</p><p>"And how did you find me?"</p><p>The Psychopomp huffed. "Honestly, that's just skill."</p><p>Rapunzel smirked, looking up at the bed lined with all of the confiscated magical artifacts. "So those artifacts can take us <em>anywhere</em>, right? Anywhere at all?"</p><p>The Psychopomp glanced up at the bed, and then after a long moment, she realized what the Princess was suggesting. Her outrage was almost able to mask her concern. "Hold up. You aren't seriously thinking of instantly traveling to Madrid, right?"</p><p>Rapunzel shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's a possibility though."</p><p>"Are you stupid?" the assassin growled. "First of all: hands off my shit. <em>Second of all</em>: Weren't you listening to what I was saying? You can't seriously go hunting down the Coven de la Sombra. They want you dead. Not maimed. Not injured. D-E-A-D <em>dead</em>."</p><p>"I know they do," Rapunzel reasoned. "But so did you."</p><p>The Psychopomp opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly found herself at a loss for words. That Princess, she…she wasn't…well…</p><p>The assassin grimaced and tried not to think about it too hard. Her mission had been so simple. <em>Kill a Princess. </em>How had she let this whole thing go sideways? She was supposed to be a legendary warrior, and now she was tied up, bound and helpless on the floor of some stupid inn, being lectured to by this absolute moron of a girl who was barely older than her. It was one of the more humiliating moments of her life—something that she long thought she was over.</p><p>But still, did she have a point?</p><p>No, of course not.</p><p>But then again…</p><p>The Psychopomp muttered something under her breath.</p><p>"<em>Duluhuh</em>…"</p><p>Rapunzel leaned forward. "Come again?"</p><p>The Psychopomp sighed, and met Rapunzel face-to-face, brimming with confidence and yet, just a touch of a youthful embarrassment that could only come from someone of an equal peer.</p><p>"Delilah," she stated more clearly. "That was my mother's name. I can't tell you my own name, but if you want to call me that…or, you know…whatever…"</p><p>Rapunzel smiled softly. Delilah. A lovely name. She would cherish it the best she could in was likely becoming her final days.</p><hr/><p>When Cassandra and Adira finally listened to Rapunzel's plan, she received the expected reaction.</p><p>"No fucking way."</p><p>"That is, unsurprisingly from you, incredibly ridiculous."</p><p>Rapunzel sat peacefully on the edge of the bed, careful to avoid any of the deadly magical artifacts scattered throughout. Cassandra, impatient as always, paced wildly, and Adira—she simply stood by the door, unmoving as a statue. The only way Rapunzel could tell she was feeling anything was from the subtle twitches of the corners of her mouth.</p><p>"I know this sounds crazy," Rapunzel said calmly, "but I don't think we have any other options."</p><p>"Sure we do," Cass exclaimed. "We could <em>not </em>run directly towards the people trying to murder you. Have you considered that?"</p><p>"Cassandra, when have we ever <em>not </em>run toward the things trying to kill us?" It was a good question, though Cassandra hardly let herself be swayed. Rapunzel was using her full name again. That was seldom good. The only times she used her full name was when she was trying to lecture her about something, and this being a lecture? Ha. Bullshit. That'd imply that the Princess was right about something, and she sure as hell wasn't. Not about this.</p><p>"The best course of action," Adira suggested, "would be for us to return to Corona and regroup. We might be missing a new angle to approach this from. There's no reason we should rush toward harm when we don't know everything."</p><p>Rapunzel shook her head. "We don't have time to sit around and wait. This curse gets stronger by the day. I'm lucky I haven't had it trigger yet this morning, but who knows when it's going to strike again? We need to act now."</p><p>"Okay, okay," Cass said, shaking her head feverishly. "There's acting quickly, and then there is acting rashly. These witches literally hired a <em>hitman</em> to take you out, and you want to try to negotiate with them? Not only is that not going to work, but it's just…I don't know, Raps. This strikes me as an incredibly bad idea."</p><p>Rapunzel tried her best to explain herself, holding onto her convictions. "The reason they are trying to kill me is that they think there are no other options. But maybe there are. They might not be able to directly undo the spell, but think of all the magic that we encountered together, Cass. Time-traveling spinning tops. Mirrors with evil doppelgangers. Doors to the past. Heck, we faced all of that in <em>one house</em>. There are all sorts of incredible things out there. Maybe they can't directly undo the curse, but there could be a way to work around it so that no one else gets harmed by it."</p><p>Cassandra groaned, frustrated as all hell. "So, let me get this straight. You don't want to <em>get rid of </em>the curse that's slowly eating you alive. You just want to, what, <em>tame </em>it? There's no guarantee that's going to work, and also, why do you think these witches are going to be willing to let you talk to them anyway?"</p><p>"Because they are good people," Rapunzel said confidently. "According to Delilah, they only want to kill me because they think I'll harm people. Their motives are pure. If I can talk to them and show them that there's another way out of this, don't you think that maybe they will be willing to listen to me?" Rapunzel bowed her head, adding quietly. "And honestly, it's not like we have any better ideas."</p><p>The room became very still. Even Delilah, lying on the floor, seemed to understand the gravity of what they were talking about. It would have been almost funny if it wasn't so sad. At the end of the day, their mission hadn't changed. They started their journey to Madrid on a lone, desperate chance that they would be able to find some cure for Rapunzel's sudden affliction. They never had many options to begin with. Now, they were stuck on the exact same path; only the light at the end of the tunnel seemed more faded than ever before. What little remained would have to be enough for them. Rapunzel knew that heading back to Corona was never an option. No matter how much she longed to see Eugene again, she couldn't face him as she was now. She would fix herself first, and then, his smile would be her reward upon her return. That was the only thing that truly mattered.</p><p>Cassandra couldn't even complain. What was the point? Even if she thought this plan was stupid—which she did—she knew there was no way of talking Rapunzel out of it. That girl would do whatever she set her mind to. Giving up wasn't in her vocabulary. She knew that all too well. But now instead of an unknown, they were walking into active danger. As if this journey hadn't been stressful enough with giant wasps and assassins around every corner…</p><p>Adira just said nothing. She had no place in this to decide. Her orders were to take Rapunzel back to Corona. The King trusted her with that one specific task. But the stakes were changed. Anyone could see that. Madrid may have been dangerous but was it really any safer with Rapunzel at home if assassins were going to keep popping up. Adira needed to keep a close eye on her while she hunted down a cure. At least, that was how she justified it to herself.</p><p>Rapunzel stood up from the bed and returned to Delilah, kneeling down in front of her to look her in the eye.</p><p>"Can you help us with this?" she asked sincerely. "The Coven may not listen to us, but they trust you. You might be able to change their minds if we can't."</p><p>Delilah just sneered at her. "What on earth makes you think that'd I be willing to betray my oath and help you with this nonsense?"</p><p>Rapunzel studied her carefully. Her face was mostly scar-free, but those eyes had seen a hell that she could only imagine. A child forced into ungodly circumstances, surrounded by constant abuse, and forced to live a life for the service of others. Where had she heard that story before?</p><p>"Adira…untie her."</p><p>The elder warrior was taken aback. "Princess, I don't think that's—"</p><p>"Just do it," Rapunzel ordered. Adira hesitated, stunned. Yet, after a long pause and a demanding glare from Rapunzel, she unsheathed her sword, and very carefully, cautiously, cut loose the binds holding the Psychopomp down. The assassin's face remained stoic as she was slowly cut free. First her ankles, then her wrists. When she was finally able to move her limbs again, Rapunzel gently helped her up to her feet and watched as she massaged the red areas where the rope chafed her skin. Rapunzel braced herself mentally for the assassin to lunge at her, or make a desperate attempt toward the door. Adira kept her sword at the ready, and Cassandra looked at Owl, ready to order him to strike at a moment's notice.</p><p>But Delilah did none of that. She just stood in front of Rapunzel, looking up at the Princess with something just above apathy. "You do realize that if this doesn't work, I am going to have to kill you."</p><p>Rapunzel nodded and spoke honestly. "If this plan doesn't work, I'm dead anyway."</p><p>Their agreement was reached in pure silence. They didn't even share a handshake. But Rapunzel knew it was okay to order Adira and Cass to let down their guards—even if they wisely didn't want to. Delilah paid no mind to them as she considered what she would say next.</p><p>"We should leave as soon as possible."</p><p>"No," said Rapunzel sternly. "We leave <em>after</em> Max gets unfrozen. We don't leave anyone behind."</p><p>Delilah sighed and turned toward the bed. "Suit yourself. In any case—"</p><p>She reached toward her equipment on her bed, but before she could touch them, Cassandra suddenly grabbed onto her wrist, startling everyone in the room.</p><p>"I don't think so," Cass warned. Adira drew up her sword, ready for the conflict to boil over. The Psychopomp growled at her like a wild dog. Rapunzel stood her ground.</p><p>"Cass, let her go."</p><p>"No way," Cassandra stated. "I don't trust her with this stuff, Raps. I think <em>I </em>should hold onto it, just in case she tries any funny business."</p><p>Delilah's hand clenched into a fist. "Do. <em>Not</em>. Touch. My. Stuff."</p><p>"Stop it, you two," Rapunzel said, squeezing between them and separating the pair before they came to blows. "No one is fighting anyone. Delilah gets to keep—"</p><p>"Thanks, Princess," the assassin smiled before Rapunzel turned sharply to her.</p><p>"<em>Most </em>of her stuff," she clarified. "But as a sign of goodwill, Cassandra gets to keep some of the artifacts. At least until we talk to the Coven."</p><p>The Psychopomp was about to argue, until she saw Adira's sword inching ever closer to her face, and she felt the eyes of the evil bird peering at her from the windowsill. She felt rage burning beneath her skin, but under the Princess's guidance, she relented.</p><p>"Fine," she grumbled. "Goodwill."</p><p>Cassandra smirked, and Delilah realized right there and then just how much she hated that short-haired woman. "Awesome. In that case…" Cassandra instinctively grabbed the small, forked electric rod from the bed, holding it up to her face and admiring its Adira-smiting power. "I'm definitely taking this."</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. A Shaky Alliance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and Cassandra's truce with the Psychopomp begins on shaky ground.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you don't mind a touch of magical surrealism in your fanfictions.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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      <p>Twelve hours. Rapunzel gave her exactly twelve hours down to the minute. That was what she said, and after all the trust she was putting in this woman, she was not in the mood to put things to chance. Rapunzel had been staring at Max for what felt like hours, long after the sun had set and another day of the curse had come and gone. He hadn't shown any sign of turning back to normal, despite the assassin's promises. The Psychopomp herself was sitting by the door of the inn, resting her hands on her palms as she watched Rapunzel standing around in the mud. She herself was being eyed closely by Cassandra from two feet away, who herself was being stared at by Adira directly next to her.</p>
      <p>And thus, the chain of people standing around just <em>staring at each other</em> was complete.</p>
      <p>It had been for hours.</p>
      <p>At a certain point, Delilah got sick of waiting. She knew everything would be fine no matter how much the Princess sweated over it. If she was going to devote a portion of life to keeping that woman safe—however temporary and bad faith—she was going to at least somewhat entertain herself. She glanced up at Cassandra, whose arms were crossed firmly over her chest, still holding onto that magical lightning rod that she <em>stole </em>from her possession.</p>
      <p>"So, like…what's up with you?"</p>
      <p>"What about me?" Cassandra responded disinterestedly.</p>
      <p>"You and the Princess," Delilah clarified. "You're acting all buddy-buddy with her, but she told me earlier that you two had some serious drama. What's up with that?"</p>
      <p>"Wouldn't you like to know?"</p>
      <p>"Uh, yeah. I would like to know. That's why I asked."</p>
      <p>"None of your business," Cassandra said firmly.</p>
      <p>"Come on," Delilah whined. "She was willing to talk about it."</p>
      <p>There was a subtle shift of shock in Cassandra's face that she hoped the assassin didn't notice. Rapunzel was telling this random stranger about their past? That was…well, actually, what was she supposed to be so mad about? Rapunzel probably had a good reason for doing it. She wouldn't go blabbing personal information if there wasn't one. Still, the thought of the woman who literally tried to kill them a few hours ago knowing things about her personal life didn't sit right with her.</p>
      <p>And then, because of course, Adira noticed her discomfort and decided to speak up. "Actually, I was wondering that as well. You've turned around awfully quickly."</p>
      <p>"Wha—stay out of this," Cassandra grumbled. Adira, unphased as always, nodded toward the Psychopomp.</p>
      <p>"She tried to destroy the world a few months ago. She also mind-controlled me to do her bidding," Adira stated calmly and reasonably and not at all like someone who was still holding a grudge. Cassandra growled at her, but the assassin just let out a laugh of amusement.</p>
      <p>"Dear Lord, woman! Isn't one of those things enough?" the young girl joked. "I mean, maybe I should be hunting you down."</p>
      <p>"I…" Cassandra grumbled, trying to choose her words carefully. "I was going through some problems back then."</p>
      <p>Adira rolled her eyes. "That's one way to put it."</p>
      <p>"Girl, you need therapy," the Psychopomp snickered.</p>
      <p>"Or a prison sentence."</p>
      <p>"Or an execution."</p>
      <p>"Or—"</p>
      <p>"Hey!" Cassandra snapped, holding up the lightning prod to both of them as a threat. "H-How about we drop this and focus on our actual work. When is Max going to return to normal?"</p>
      <p>"Any second now," Delilah sighed. "But anyway—how exactly did a woman like you end up palling around with a royalty? She seems like a sweetheart, not the kind of lady who'd go hanging out with a person like you. If I was her, I would have—"</p>
      <p>Cassandra grumbled something to herself and walked away, leaving the assassin waffling as her insults hit the dead air.</p>
      <p>"And she's gone," Delilah murmured. "Guess that's a sensitive spot."</p>
      <p>Adira watched Cassandra stomp away through the mud, and couldn't help but agree. She was half-inclined to tell Delilah what she had noticed of Cassandra's behavior during their earlier battle, assuming that the assassin hadn't recognized it herself. That relationship—the Princess and her former Lady-in-Waiting—was built on something that she couldn't quite get a hold of yet. It was still ethereal, floating just out of her reach, yet clear enough in its shape that she could understand its consequences. She tried to think back on her previous encounters with them while they were traveling to the Dark Kingdom. Cassandra was certainly protective back then but to this degree? Not only that, but she seemed to remember Rapunzel and Cassandra fighting a lot more back then, too. They fought in front of her, and the tension between them grew so thick and vicious that it led to them going their separate ways. It was a little strange: after actively trying to kill each other, after committing crimes and atrocities that would have tarnished her in the eyes of anyone else, somehow, someway, Cassandra wormed her way back into Rapunzel's heart—and more than that, she seemed <em>desperate</em> to do so.</p>
      <p>Adira sighed, lost in her own train of thought. She hated to admit it, but she didn't understand people all that well. Never did. She was trained to dodge swords and arrows, not navigate the tangled web of the heart's connections with others. Something had awoken in Cassandra that was pushing her forward, and she needed to know what. Not simply because she could use it to press Cassandra's buttons—okay, fine, a little bit of that. But if they were traveling together from now on, she needed to know Cass's weaknesses and learn what could exploit them before they ended up exploiting her instead. Adira noticed the studious frown on the Psychopomp's face. That young girl was probably doing the same math in her head. Just another reason to stay focused.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel was lost in thought, too, so much so that she didn't notice when Cassandra walked up behind her and lightly jumped at her presence.</p>
      <p>"Hey, Raps."</p>
      <p>"Oh, Cass! I didn't hear you," Rapunzel stammered. "I'm just waiting for Max to be unfrozen."</p>
      <p>"I know. I've been watching," Cassandra groaned. "I just had to step away from the others for a bit. They were getting on my nerves."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel seemed genuinely upset by that, resting her hand on Cass's shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully, we won't have to work together for long."</p>
      <p>"Yeah. Hopefully," Cass sighed. "I just don't like them talking about…actually, no. Let's not."</p>
      <p>"What?"</p>
      <p>"Forget it."</p>
      <p>"Cass—"</p>
      <p>"<em>Forget it</em>," Cass said sternly, and Rapunzel's lips tightened into a sneer. She examined Cassandra closely. In the twelve hours since their fight, she had gotten around to cleaning herself, at least roughly. The dirt and the mud and the rainwater were scrubbed away, though she was far short of pristine, Cassandra at least looked somewhat healthier. But her face was sunken in and even paler than usual, and her eyes were bloodshot and unfocused. Her shoulders were slumped. Her pace was sluggish. Rapunzel turned her grievance into motherly compassion and prodded Cassandra where she knew her sister did not want to go.</p>
      <p>"Cass, did you sleep at all today?"</p>
      <p>Cassandra just shrugged.</p>
      <p>"I don't know. Did you?"</p>
      <p>"I was unconscious all of yesterday," Rapunzel noted. "I don't need to sleep. You do."</p>
      <p>Cassandra glanced away, dismissing the point out of hand. "I'll sleep when someone isn't actively trying to kill you."</p>
      <p>"Cassandra, please," Rapunzel scolded her. "How many days has it been since you've gotten any rest? You didn't sleep when you traveled to Corona. You haven't slept since we've been together. This isn't healthy. I mean, you look like you're going to collapse at any minute."</p>
      <p>"So, it's been a few days. So what?" Cassandra said, frustrated. "I can still fight."</p>
      <p>"It's not a matter of fighting, Cass. I'm worried about you. I understand that you want to keep me safe. I get it. But you can't just neglect your own health."</p>
      <p>"I'm not neglecting anything."</p>
      <p>"Yes, you are."</p>
      <p>"I am…" Cass said, trying to refocus herself. "I am trying to work as hard as I can to make sure that you make it to Madrid unharmed. There is literally an assassin ten feet away from us who tried to kill you this morning. Someone has to stay on guard and make sure she doesn't try something."</p>
      <p>"And that person's name is <em>Adira</em>," Rapunzel said firmly. "Look, I know we talked earlier about this, and I don't want to keep bothering you. You clearly don't want to talk about it. But can you just promise me that the next time you're able, you'll at least <em>try </em>to get some rest? It will be really hard for me to stay in the right state of mind if you collapse on me."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel normally hating framing things through herself. The last thing anyone should ever do was act for the sake of her instead of themselves. But unfortunately, that seemed to be the only thing that Cassandra really cared about anymore. Adira and Delilah were still trying to figure it out, but Rapunzel already stumbled upon the answer. She had assumed earlier that Cassandra's obsessions and her rage were the products of grief, and to some degree that was almost certainly true. But she was slowly realizing that there was another thing spurning her sister on to protect her. Cassandra had rushed halfway across the country to be by her side when she heard of her collapse at the dinner, and that was before she ever knew of the curse. Grief couldn't be all there was. The only other logical explanation Rapunzel could think of was—</p>
      <p>A sudden <em>crack</em> tore through the air, and Rapunzel was ripped out of her thoughts by the bursting and breaking of stone. All of her attention was turned to the statue of Maximus, and with fear, and shock, and awe, she saw cracks appear on the surface of the rock, one after the other, just like the ones in her skin. The statue began to rumble, and Rapunzel and Cassandra stepped back to avoid the shrapnel from what came next. All at once, the stone that encased Maximus ruptured and turned to dust, and from the thick cloud of stony ash, Max roared back to life, rearing back on his hind legs and neighing. He jumped back, frantically whipping around in sheer panic, but before he could get too excited, Rapunzel was there to wrap her arms around him and bring him back down to earth, soothing him the best she could.</p>
      <p>"It's okay, Max. You're okay," she whispered sweetly to him. "I'm right here by your side."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"All right, so how is this going to work exactly?"</p>
      <p>Delilah looked around the circle of her former enemies. They were all looking at her expectantly, some with a particularly more notable gleam of distrust in their eyes. The horses and that <em>goddamned owl</em> were glaring hard, ready to pounce on her at any moment if she dared to cross them again. A very long piece of rope was coiled around her shoulders. In her palms, she held an object that none of them recognized: an old piece of volcanic stone, laced with dazzling, rainbow colored crystals that erupted from its ends and glittered even in the dark of the night. The Psychopomp sighed, thinking about how she would go about explaining the concepts that would go over the head of any regular person.</p>
      <p>"Okay, so Madrid is really far away, right?" Delilah stated carefully. "We could rush there on horseback, but that would still take too long, and I don't want to risk traveling with the curse. My sandals can let me travel at fast speeds, but I'm not carrying you. The problem is that we are going to have to travel across a lot of space in a very long amount of time. So, <em>this</em> tool of mine is going to allow us to bypass both of them."</p>
      <p>"What is it?" Rapunzel asked inquisitively.</p>
      <p>"A gift from the gods. I call it a Void Portal," Delilah stated, holding the crystal aloft. "This is hard to explain, but our earth is located on a specific plane of existence. There are others that exist as well, different dimensions that operate under different rules of reality than we are used to. One of these planes of existence is something I call the Void—a world where our metaphysical concepts of time and space are compressed in on themselves in a manner for us to be able to walk <em>over </em>them instead of through them. We'd basically be able to move across the entire earth in minutes rather than hours. This is probably a little hard to wrap your head around, so um…think of it like this. If you have, like, a sheet of paper or whatever—"</p>
      <p>"That's okay," Rapunzel said sheepishly. "I get it. Instead of walking to Madrid, we'd essentially be folding spacetime so that we're bringing Madrid <em>to us</em>. Right?"</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp blinked.</p>
      <p>"Uh…I mean, yeah. It's…it's kind of hard to explain. Like, other dimensions—"</p>
      <p>"Oh, we know all about other dimensions," Rapunzel said with a flick of her wrist. "One time, we tried opening up a dimensional portal in order to entrap a thousand-year-old demon monster before she destroyed humanity."</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp blinked again.</p>
      <p>"Wait, what—"</p>
      <p>"Yeah," Cassandra said bluntly. "Traveling across time isn't really that weird either. I once stepped through a random doorway and got teleported into a vision of my past. Honestly, magical trans-dimensional doorways aren't just that special at this point.</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp stammered. "I…wait—"</p>
      <p>"And I was once trapped inside an alternate reality within my mind where I lived a utopian life," Rapunzel added.</p>
      <p>"And we all got once sucked into a mirror dimension full of our evil clones," Cassandra nodded.</p>
      <p>"That was all in the same house actually, now that I think about it."</p>
      <p>"That house sucked."</p>
      <p>"It really was not a good house. Oh, but speaking of time travel, Cass, did I ever tell you about that time I got sent ten years into the past and had to help Eugene escape from the law?"</p>
      <p>"Was that before or after we got turned into birds?"</p>
      <p>"<em>Way </em>after. You weren't there."</p>
      <p>"Thought so. I feel like I would have remembered that."</p>
      <p>"It was fun. Like the time we—"</p>
      <p>Delilah threw down her arms and screamed in anguish. "Okay, you know what? You can reminisce about your weird freak lives some other time. Right now, we got shit to do, so here's the gist. It's a magic world that let's us travel quickly. Explanation over. Now, here's how this is going to work."</p>
      <p>She slung the long piece of rope off her shoulders, and without waiting for any of them to give their consent, she immediately began wrapping it around Cassandra's waist. Cass jumped back at the sudden, harsh tugging at her midsection, and the fondness of her memories was snuffed out by her annoyance.</p>
      <p>"Hey, what are you—"</p>
      <p>"I'm tying us all together," the assassin grumbled, hurriedly tying a sturdy knot around the warrior's body. "Here's the deal. When we are in the Void, we are going to be crossing over huge swaths of space and time. A few feet in there can be equivalent to a few hundred <em>kilometers</em> out here, and unfortunately, there isn't a lot of consistency to its layout. If you don't know how to navigate it—which you don't—you might stumble, get lost, and wind up in China two hundred years in the future. We want to avoid that, so I'm tying all of us together so you idiots don't wander off."</p>
      <p>Cassandra scoffed as Delilah finished tying her up and moved onto Adira, who embraced with the binds with the same cautious sarcasm that she embraced everything with.</p>
      <p>"I'm sure we're going to be tempted to wander off in another, unknown dimension," she quipped.</p>
      <p>"Oh, yeah. That's another thing," Delilah remembered, awkwardly shrugging as she worked on finishing the knot. "That place does things to people. See, the human body is made within the bounds of space and time. A lot of parts of your anatomy sort of depend on those things to function. Entering into a dimension where those things don't exist might have some…well, <em>side effects</em>."</p>
      <p>"What kind of side effects?" Rapunzel asked worriedly.</p>
      <p>"That's the fun part," Delilah sighed. "It can be all sorts of things. Hallucinations, strokes, heart attacks, stomach cramps—"</p>
      <p>"Whoa, whoa!" Cassandra suddenly screamed. "Those aren't side effects. That's just listing ways to kill us! That's something you should have led with before telling us to go along with this."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel nervously shuffled in the mud. Cassandra had a point. They were playing with forces that were far beyond anything they were used to. Should she really have been pushing them to go along with this? Getting to that Coven was important, but if something were to happen to them because they rushed things…</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp just rolled her eyes. "Eh, don't stress too much. I've been in there plenty of times and I always come out fine. It's just hypothetical consequences. As long as we don't linger in there too long, we should be good."</p>
      <p>Delilah tugged sharply on the rope around Adira's waist, ensuring that it was secure, and then she quickly moved onto Rapunzel. She approached the Princess with fervor, motioning for her to raise her arms. Yet, Rapunzel hesitated, consumed by the sudden wave of guilt that crashed into her out of nowhere. The one thing she always promised herself was that she would never put anyone else in harm's way for her sake. When Cassandra asked to come along, she pleaded with her not to. She tried to leave everything she could behind so that they would stay safe. But somehow, despite her efforts, everything just kept becoming more and more dangerous. They were about to step into…what did Delilah call it? The <em>Void</em>? Just the name sent a shiver down her spine. How was she supposed to keep everyone safe when she was putting her life in the hands of a woman who tried to kill her earlier that very morning? She had half a mind to order the others away, take Delilah herself to Madrid and just deal with whatever consequences came her way and hers alone.</p>
      <p>But…that wouldn't exactly be fair, would it? Cassandra, Adira, Max—they all came for her because they cared about her. They wanted to protect her. No matter what kind of hell she might put them through, they were determined to stay with her until the end. Who was she to deny them a place in her life? They were soon going to be venturing into a new world—quite literally. There would almost certainly be hardships; if even a single one of Delilah's "side effects" came true, it would be a tragedy. But she needed them by her side. There was no dancing around that. She would let them fight by her side, through thick and thin, until the very bitter end.</p>
      <p>"You promise us that you'll keep us safe?" Rapunzel asked the assassin genuinely. The young girl seemed taken aback by the honesty of her question, and for the first time since that morning, she responded not with a jab, or a tired groan, or a pitiful protest—but with a somber, painful nod.</p>
      <p>"I'll do what I can until we see the Coven," Delilah said truthfully. Rapunzel raised her arms, and the Psychopomp made quick work of tying the knot, linking the four women together in a chain. She tugged on the rope to make sure it was secure, and then met Rapunzel with a dour grimace. "And once they say that they can't help you, I'll make sure you don't suffer when I put you down."</p>
      <p>Rapunzel didn't react. Delilah didn't need her to. The point got across.</p>
      <p>"Okay, let's do this," the Psychopomp sighed. "Hop on your horses, ladies. We're going to get this over with quick."</p>
      <p>There was still a heavy doubt lingering over the road when they decided to follow the assassin's commands. They rode two-by-two: Rapunzel and Cassandra on Fidella, while Adira kept Delilah close to her sword on top of Max. Delilah linked the rope through the horses' reins, and soon, all six of them were linked together by the rope, huddling close and ready to travel. Before they left, Cassandra summoned Owl to her forearm and rummaged around in her pocket for something she hadn't the need to use in quite a while. She retrieved a small clip and apologized as she wrapped it around the bird's leg, connecting it to her glove so that he wouldn't fly away. Normally, she'd trust him to follow commands, but if the Void was really as unsafe as the young assassin claimed, she wasn't taking any chances. With all parties secured to each other, Delilah held out the strange crystal in front of her and took a deep breath.</p>
      <p>"Okay, sweetie. Time to do your thing," she muttered under her breath.</p>
      <p>Rapunzel watched with bated breath as the Psychopomp aimed the crystallized rock at the ground, concentrated, and then…she waited.</p>
      <p>And waited.</p>
      <p>And waited.</p>
      <p>And waited.</p>
      <p>Then, all at once, the crystal erupted in a beam of light, and with a booming crack of thunder, a beam of pure energy shot out of the front of the crystal, striking the ground directly in front of them. Max staggered away in shock. Cassandra was forced to shut her eyes from the blinding lights. Rapunzel just gazed upon the swirling events in front of her, enamored with the impossible visuals. The entire night sky seemed to light up in a display of vibrant, ever-changing colors, reds and greens and violets and pinks and oranges all swirling around each other in a kaleidoscopic dance. The air in front of them rippled and bend like folding paper, and strange bursts of electricity shot out of thin air and ricocheted off the muddy road, deflecting into the nearby trees. From near the building, the innkeeper staggered outside, lured by the display of lights and sounds outside her window. The volume of the air was lifted by a constant, exuberant hum, a low, angry groan that sounded as if reality itself was struggling to pull itself apart.</p>
      <p>Finally, out of the darkness, it appeared. Tearing through the air like a knife cutting through flesh.</p>
      <p>A doorway into constant, overwhelmingly blinding pure white.</p>
      <p>The Psychopomp looked on ahead, undeterred. "Come on. It's open. We should hurry."</p>
      <p>The Void cackled and whistled, and Rapunzel felt something dark stir within her heart. She had seen all sorts of magical things in the past few years. Artifacts, worlds, curses, monsters. This…this was something new entirely. Something that reached deep into her chest and squeezed the very life right out of her. This…this was wrong…</p>
      <p>And she knew she had to step inside of it.</p>
      <p>"Let's go," Rapunzel ordered. Cassandra, still trying to comprehend the bizarre sight of reality literally unfolding in front of her, reluctantly shook her fears away and decided to follow Raps's orders. She instructed Fidella forward, and after glancing at Max for approval, the mare approached the white door to another reality. Cassandra clenched the reins tightly, and Rapunzel wrapped her arms around her friend's waist for support. Whatever they were going to face, they would do it together.</p>
      <p>Fidella stepped one foot through the doorway when the Psychopomp called out from behind them. "Wait a second, I probably should have also mentioned the—"</p>
      <p>It was too late for her words to reach them—the assassin's voice was drowned out as Rapunzel and Cassandra were summoned into the Void.</p>
    </div>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Crossing Boundaries - Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and the others are led into another world to reach their destination. They might not like what is waiting for them on the other side.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a blinding flash of light.</p><p>A violent, otherworldly wail.</p><p>A deep vibration ran through her bones.</p><p>And then, Rapunzel opened her eyes and saw…something.</p><p>That was honestly the best she could describe it.</p><p>Something.</p><p>There was no sky. Or was there? In every direction she looked, she saw a wall of kaleidoscopic crystals, infinitely collapsing and folding into each other. They stretched on forever and ever into the horizon—could it even be called a horizon when there wasn't a ground though? Rapunzel looked down past Fidella toward her hooves; they were standing upon a vast, impossible sea of white, so blank that it looked like they could fall through it. When the crystal sky met the pure white floor, they disintegrated into heavy shadows and ash, which flaked and floated through the air like snow. The entire Void smelled like…well, nothing actually. Nothing at all. It didn't even smell like what she usually smelled when she smelled nothing. It somehow smelled even less than that.</p><p>Cassandra took one look around the Void and huffed. "Honestly? Expected weirder."</p><p>Rapunzel thought about it for a moment and couldn't help but agree. It was hard enough to surprise a person with seventy feet of indestructible blonde hair, and that was before an adventure across the continent where she faced enough magical artifacts to fill up a collection—as well as a literal collection of magical artifacts. Once a person was inside the body of a monkey, or a bird, or another person, they couldn't go back. The Void was somewhat disappointing in that sense. So much promise of mystery only to see one interesting sky and a boring white floor. At least they wouldn't be in it for long.</p><p>From behind them, Rapunzel heard another horrible sounding wail, and then Max, Adira, and Delilah broke through the portal. The wall collapsed shortly behind them, and soon, they were all standing alone in the midst of the vast, endless Void.</p><p>"Hey, don't walk away when I'm talking to you," Delilah said with a grunt.</p><p>"Sorry," Rapunzel said. "We couldn't hear you over the portal."</p><p>"It was very <em>whooshy</em> and <em>screamy</em>," Cassandra said, looking around cautiously at the sky. "What did you want to say? Some kind of warning?"</p><p>Delilah sneered, scrunching up her nose. "Don't you people have a sense of caution? We are inside of another dimension. You can't just go barreling ahead into things."</p><p>Rapunzel just shrugged. "The last three years have basically just been us jumping directly into things without looking."</p><p>"I see how you can get cursed then," Delilah rolled her eyes and ordered Max forward. "Well, it's probably not something to worry about. Just keep up and do what I tell you. Fourth-dimensional travel isn't something to screw around with."</p><p>Cassandra grumbled, picking at the heavy rope tied around her waist, squeezing her so tight that she had difficulty breathing. "Not like we have much of a choice."</p><p>The Psychopomp ignored Cassandra's whining and took the lead, telling Max to go onwards. He promptly ignored her, dismissing her orders with a snarl and only agreeing to walk as she commanded when Adira lightly patted him on the side and told him the same thing. With the rope binding them together, the seven of them—the Princess, the assassin, the warrior, the freelancer, two horses, and one <em>very </em>determined owl—set off wandering into the space of the Void.</p><p>It was hard to tell if they were actually making progress though. Rapunzel could feel them walking forward, but in the empty space of the void, they didn't appear to be moving forward. Every click of Fidella's hooves against the white floor resulted only in strange, ripple-like distortions, a bit like a stone skipping across a lake. Nothing seemed to change around them. There were no landmarks to consider. No inhabitants to ask for directions. It was supposed to be something beyond space, correct? So how were they even moving through it? Better question: how did Delilah know where they were going? She had to some way of keeping track of where they were amidst the emptiness. Rapunzel considered asking her about it but instead realized that she would probably just get a snappy retort or a vague explanation like "I'm the Psychopomp. I always know where I'm going."</p><p>Adira, never the sort to leave things to chance, made sure to question the assassin thoroughly.</p><p>"How many times have you been through here?"</p><p>"At least two dozen."</p><p>"How long does it usually take to get out of here?"</p><p>"Depends. To get to Madrid, it's around a five-minute walk."</p><p>"Anything we have to worry about?"</p><p>"In five minutes? Probably not. That's what the rope is for."</p><p>"What <em>were</em> you going to warn them about?"</p><p>"Eh, we probably won't stick around long enough for it to matter."</p><p>Adira hardly took that as reassurance. It was bad enough that she had to place her trust in an assassin, not to mention a literal child. She thought it was bad enough to have to place her faith in Rapunzel during their original journey together. It was only happenstance that the flower-child princess who never wore shoes happened to be pretty good with a frying pan and had the soul of an angel. This kid? All of her instincts were telling her that she was being led to her death. It wasn't like she had a choice anymore. She was trapped inside another dimension and literally tied to the assassin's waist. The most she could do was begin plotting for the inevitable betrayal. They were heading to the heart of a witch's coven, which meant unpredictable magic and a lot of attempted murder. She would have her work cut out for her.</p><p>Rapunzel carefully leaned forward, resting her head against Cassandra's spine. She wrapped her arms comfortably around Cass's belly, hugging her tightly for support as they were silently led through the Void. She kept her eyes vaguely focused on the strange, shadowy horizon, letting her mind wander as aimlessly as they were wandering themselves. Without anything urgent occupying her thoughts, and with Cassandra currently wrapped in her arms, she could return to focus on something that she was struggling with earlier in the day. Cassandra's grief was burdensome. Understandable. But it wasn't the only thing that was consuming her. She had been looking for excuses to come back to visit her, and when Rapunzel reflected on everything Cass had told her up to that point, it seemed, on the surface, fairly obvious.</p><p>And she had to admit, the constantly collapsing pattern of the sky did bring a certain peace to her mind.</p><p>She took a deep breath before deciding to approach the topic one more time—although from an angle that would hopefully be more introspective.</p><p>"Cass…would you like to come back to Corona?"</p><p>The question admittedly came out of the blue. Poor Cass probably wasn't ready to have to face those emotions yet again in such a short period of time, but Rapunzel needed to know soon. The last time she had let things go unsaid between them…well, they both know how well that turned out.</p><p>"Come back? You mean, like, live with you again? Lady-in-Waiting and all?" Cassandra asked. Her voice was tinged with something that could have been interpreted as disgust, which seemed to answer the question rather quickly. Yet, Rapunzel needed to be sure.</p><p>"Not necessarily as Lady-in-Waiting. We could install you to the Royal Guard, or as an advisor," Rapunzel suggested. "Or, you know, you wouldn't have to work for us at all. You could just live in the town on your own."</p><p>"Yeah, because the people of Corona will be so glad to see me again," Cassandra said with a dry laugh.</p><p>Rapunzel frowned. "That doesn't answer the question. Whether or not they would be happy has nothing to do with what you want."</p><p>"Doesn't it?"</p><p>"I don't know. You seem like you aren't happy with your life right now. I know you weren't exactly happy then either, but we could work on that. We could do a lot to make you more comfortable."</p><p>"I'm fine, Raps," Cassandra insisted. "No one in Corona needs me walking around making them nervous. It's better that I'm gone."</p><p>And there it was again. It was fast becoming a pattern that Rapunzel was all too keen to start worrying about. First, it was her behavior in the wasp cave. Then, it was the conversation by the bath. Next, the lack of sleep. Now, this. A lot of it was accidental, and if Rapunzel wasn't specifically looking for it, it may have flown right over her head. But losing Cass the first time taught her to hone her relationships and try to understand people better than before. She hated to assume—the absolute last thing she needed was Cassandra getting frustrated with her and shutting herself off again. The consequences of that would surely be disastrous. But she could gently nudge her in the right direction. She'd prod and cajole what she could to keep her friend safe. Rapunzel tenderly squeezed Cassandra closed to her, and spoke very softly, trying to keep their conversation private from the two warriors on the horse just ahead of them. She could feel the heat from Cassandra's back, but also a different kind of warmth, slowly creeping up the back of her neck. It was rather strange to describe, and she tried her best to ignore it.</p><p>"Hey, Cass. You know that you can tell me anything, right?"</p><p>Cassandra stared straight ahead into the Void.</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>"Nothing, really," Rapunzel sighed. "It's just that…if there was something you felt uncomfortable about or something that you wanted to tell me, we can always talk about it. You don't have to, of course, but I'd like to know so we can work through it."</p><p>"I feel like you're trying to say something," Cass said, eyes straight as ever. "You might as well just say it, because there's no point in being vague."</p><p>Rapunzel nestled uncomfortably against Cass's spine. That strange heat became more prominent. More cold. "Well…"</p><p>"You know I'm allowed to keep some things to myself, right?" Cassandra said defensively. "Like, if there was <em>hypothetically</em> something I wanted you to know, I would have told you."</p><p>"I know, it's just—"</p><p>"Because you have been prying a lot recently," Cassandra grumbled, gripping Fidella's reins tighter in her palms. "I thought last night we were making progress in understanding each other, but all this morning and this afternoon, you keep trying to get something out of me that isn't there."</p><p>"I just want to make sure you're all right," Rapunzel stated. "Last night, we were both really vulnerable and open with each other. If something was to linger—"</p><p>"Linger? What could linger? We worked through it and now it's done. I don't know why you are lecturing me when you're the one who's been making all the bad decisions."</p><p>That…that came out of nowhere…</p><p>Rapunzel was taken aback, and pulled away from Cassandra, quick to distance herself. At first, she thought she must have misheard her, but what else would Cassandra even be saying? Cassandra just kept on staring straight out ahead of her, seemingly unaware of any effect that her comments had.</p><p>And the kaleidoscopic sky kept turning, and turning, and turning...</p><p>"Uh, Cass? Is there something you'd like to say?"</p><p>"Pretty sure I just established that there isn't."</p><p>"Well, it certainly <em>sounds</em> like you want to say something," Rapunzel said, pursing her lips.</p><p>Cassandra rolled her eyes. She could feel Rapunzel's glare tightening against the back of her skull, but she didn't bother turning around to give her the attention. That was what Rapunzel was seeking, of course. Attention. She always had to be at the exact center of attention. Everything revolved around <em>her,</em> didn't it? Magic and curses just happened to find their way to her as if she was a magnet for such ludicrous things. Cassandra just brushed the questions aside until Rapunzel prodded her again.</p><p>"Cass. Don't ignore me."</p><p>"I'm not ignoring you."</p><p>She was <em>trying </em>to ignore her. Big distinction.</p><p>"You want to ask me about my decision-making skills?"</p><p>"Well, I'm just saying," Cassandra shrugged. Their voices were starting to rise, and slightly ahead of them, Adira noticed their conversation and cautiously looked back at them. "What have you been doing this week? You ran away from home when you were in barely any condition to walk. You jumped headfirst into a cave full of giant wasps despite me explicitly telling you not to. And, oh yeah: about twelve hours ago, you decided to team up with the assassin that literally tried to stab your eyes out."</p><p>Rapunzel felt the heat rising in her chest. She straightened out, bringing a little more fight into her voice. "I thought we were working on that together."</p><p>"Yeah, to get information out of her," Cassandra said pointedly. "Not form a special partnership."</p><p>"She is helping us, Cass. Do you not want her help?"</p><p>"I want you not dead," Cass clarified. "She wants you <em>very </em>dead. That's a really hard gap to cross."</p><p>"She promised not to hurt me."</p><p>"Ah, so she's a <em>delayed </em>murderer. That makes me feel <em>so</em> much better."</p><p>Rapunzel sneered. "Well, at least I <em>know </em>when Delilah is going to hurt me."</p><p>Cassandra's eyes went wide, and all at once, she pulled back on Fidella's reins, causing them to come to a dead stop. The rope became taught and caused the others to come to a standstill as well, and they looked back with confusion as to what caused them to pause. Cassandra felt herself shaking, stone-faced and stagger-breathed as she finally gave Rapunzel what she was looking for: a simple look in the eye.</p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>"I'm just…I'm just <em>saying</em>," Rapunzel said bitterly, "maybe it's better to know that the person has the knife out before you get stabbed in the back."</p><p>Cassandra seized up. Something jumped through her veins, dashing through her muscles, permeating her bones lighting up something fierce within her like lightning. Rapunzel's gaze sharpened, and just like that, she completely forgot where they were or what their purpose was. All she could focus on was the Princess sitting behind her—and how fucking <em>furious </em>she was.</p><p>"Oh…is that so?" Cassandra said snidely. She casually slid herself off Fidella's back. She unclipped Owl from her hand, and the bird hovered above her, watching his master with keen focus.</p><p>From nearby, Adira's eyes shot back and forth between the two younger women, startled by what was developing right in front of her. "Uh, Princess? Short Hair? What are you—"</p><p>"Yeah, it is," Rapunzel stated, jumping off Fidella's back. Even the poor horse quickly scurried away from them, not wanting to be caught in the brewing storm. Delilah, flabbergasted, did a double-take and screamed at them.</p><p>"Hey, idiots! What do you think you're doing? Get back on your horse."</p><p>Their words went ignored. Rapunzel felt something strange in the back of her mind. It was a bit like someone had unlocked the door that had been holding back everything buried within her subconscious, and all of the normal courtesies and dignity that would have kept them subservient seemed to get sucked into the black hole that was gradually expanding within the pit of her stomach. Cassandra's lips trembled, stretching out into a keen snarl, and Rapunzel could actively see her trying to hold back against her worst instincts.</p><p>"That's just so interesting," Cass noted, crossing her arms. "Because I could have sworn I heard you tell me that there wasn't any bad blood between us. I didn't realize you became so good at lying."</p><p>"So now <em>I'm </em>the one who's lying here?"</p><p>Cassandra's hands balled into fists, and Adira watched with growing worry about what was transpiring. She would never hurt Rapunzel. She had been so protective of her earlier that even an off glance drew her ire. What the hell was going on between them? She couldn't come up with any rational explanation.</p><p>And then, Adira looked around at the kaleidoscopic sky all around them, and the vast white floor that seemed to stretch out into oblivion. She had a horrible thought.</p><p>"Assassin," Adira asked quickly. "Would sudden mood swings be a side effect of the Void?"</p><p>The Psychopomp nervously watched as Cassandra began walking slow circles around the Princess, who was standing firm like a statue.</p><p>"I mean, probably," she concluded. "This place does all sorts of weird stuff to your head. But it's been what? One, two minutes? This shouldn't be happening so quickly…"</p><p>Cassandra spoke venomously, oblivious to the others' concerns. "I mean, aren't you? What was it you told me last night? <em>Oh, Cass, you're trying your hardest. That's good enough for me. </em>I mean, what a load of crap, right? Of course, you're disappointed in me. Everyone is. You're just <em>so obsessed </em>with trying to do the right thing that you can't learn how to rip the bandage off."</p><p>"I'm sorry, are you mad that I wasn't cruel enough to you?" Rapunzel said with frustration. "Heaven forbid I try to make you feel better about yourself. No, no, no…you just <em>have </em>to be absorbed in this mentality where you are the worst possible thing and no one can help you."</p><p>"Didn't you just jab at me three seconds ago?" Cass scoffed. "What was all that about? Make up your mind. Are you mad that I betrayed you, or are you playing this self-gratifying forgiveness game?"</p><p>"That's not it at all. Why are you acting like this?"</p><p>"Why are you? Always prodding and pulling at me. You don't have to worm your way back into my life, you know. I chose to leave Corona on my own. I chose to face my demons on. My. <em>Own</em>. That bothers you, doesn't it? It bothers you so much that you couldn't be the one to help me, so now you have to act like you're my fucking therapist."</p><p>Rapunzel groaned, rubbing her temples. "There is literally <em>so much </em>projection going on here."</p><p>Adira nervously shouted at them. "Rapunzel. Cassandra. Stop this."</p><p>They did not listen.</p><p>"Just admit it!" Cassandra cried. "Just admit that you hate me. It would actually be so much easier for me to deal with if you just told me that you hated me. Your dad hates me. Adira hates me. The whole Kingdom hates me. You are literally the only one pretending that what I did is okay, and it just pisses me off, so why can't you just be honest?"</p><p>"I don't hate you, Cassandra—"</p><p>"Oh, there we go. <em>Cassandra</em> this. <em>Cassandra </em>that. Here comes the fucking lecture."</p><p>Delilah's mind raced for possibilities. Cassandra raging—she could understand that. Rapunzel? The sweet one? No way. The Void was doing something to them, but what would cause it to react so violently? The curse? No. That wouldn't explain Cassandra. Both of them were slipping further and further in mere seconds. She needed to learn what was wrong with them. Screw that, actually; she needed to get them out of there. Immediately.</p><p>"I'm telling you I don't hate you!" Rapunzel said forcefully. "What I hate is—"</p><p>"What? What I've done?" Cassandra challenged her. "As if I needed another goddamn excuse to think about that."</p><p>"What I hate is that you won't <em>talk to me</em>!" Rapunzel shouted, throwing her arms up in the air in exasperation. "You know something. I know that I didn't do enough for you back then. I know I wasn't listening to you, and I was treating you wrongly. I'm sorry that I never realized how I was hurting you. But you know what? I <em>tried</em>, Cassandra! I actually, really <em>tried </em>to help you. I tried comforting you, and…and talking through it, and right before—I swear, <em>right before </em>you turned your back on me, I specifically tried to make you feel better. I decided to trust your plan and keep you by my side. I <em>hugged </em>you, and I <em>held </em>you, and I thanked you for being such a good friend, and during all of that—<em>despite</em> all of that—you were planning on betraying me. How am I supposed to feel about that? I know we could have done something if you just gave me the chance, and you couldn't even do that!"</p><p>Adira grunted, hopping of Maximus's back and rushing to get between the two of them before they said anything else. She managed to squeeze between them just as Cassandra was closing in, pushing her away from the Princess before she did something she was going to regret.</p><p>"That's enough! Both of you!" Adira said sternly. "You need to calm down. We need to get a move on."</p><p>"Fuck off, Adira." Cassandra shoved Adira off of her, and the older warrior stumbled back in surprise, nearly crashing into Fidella. Cassandra turned her attention straight back to Rapunzel. Her heart was pounding. She felt her sweat building up beneath the fabric of her shirt. The kaleidoscopic sky was giving her a massive headache, and all she could think about was how much of a pain in the ass Rapunzel was being. Not just that, but a pain in the ass with a <em>point</em>. Of course, she had to have a point. She wouldn't be so damn infuriating if every time she opened her mouth she wasn't prying all of the worst thoughts out of her. She closed her eyes, trying to get those damned intrusions out of her mind when Adira grabbed onto her and pushed even further away. The rope snagged, leaving them only a few yards apart, but the brief separation was enough for Rapunzel to formulate her anger once again into something palpable.</p><p>"Do you know how hard it is to trust you again?" Rapunzel said, trying to fight back her own tears. "I know…I <em>know </em>you are trying to be better. I know in my heart that you're fine, but now you're holding things back from me again. You have no idea how worried I am that I am missing something important, that you are slipping away from me without me even knowing about it."</p><p>"Then stop caring!" Cassandra shouted back. "You didn't even want me here anyway! All of this stupid shit of you trying to protect me, trying to watch over me like I'm your responsibility. Why can't you just decide I'm not worth it then?"</p><p>"Because I love you?" Rapunzel said like it was obvious. "Because you're my friend? My sister—"</p><p>"Oh, for the love of," Cassandra shook her head. "We aren't fucking sisters! I've always hated when you called me that! There's no blood, there's no…just, fucking <em>nothing</em>. Hell, we haven't even been <em>friends</em> in over a year. I wish you would just learn to let go of me! I don't want to go back to Corona! I don't want to anything to fucking do with you!"</p><p>The comment was meant to be biting. Adira was stopped dead in her tracks. Max and Fidella stared at her in shock. Delilah went silent, trying to predict just how deep the wound would go. Even Owl seemed to understand the cruelty of the comment. All of their focus turned to Rapunzel, standing there amidst the white sea. They watched her face, waiting for it to crack in a million different possible ways. She just stood there, though, for what felt like an eternity, staring just as hard at Cassandra as the other woman was at her.</p><p>She barely seemed to feel anything.</p><p>Finally, she spoke, not with anger or malice, but with crystal clarity.</p><p>"You know I don't believe that for a second," Rapunzel said, not even mustering enough strength to be disappointed. "And the sooner you realize that you don't believe it either, then maybe you can…you can…"</p><p>Rapunzel's voice slowly faded out. Her gaze became unfocused and distant. Cassandra leaned in expectantly, waiting to hear what she would have to say next.</p><p>She didn't say anything.</p><p>"What? Maybe I can what?" Cassandra asked, annoyed. God, her head was killing her. She needed Rapunzel to say something, but the young Princess just seemed to grow more and more expressionless. Her arms dangled loosely by her side. Her shoulders slumped. And she just…she just stared blankly out into the shadowy horizon.</p><p>Cassandra didn't really understand what she was seeing. Her temper started to cool without the direct conflict, and she suddenly felt a pang of powerful guilt and worry rush over her. The gazes of the others turned soft and frightened, each of them wondering the same thing. Rapunzel didn't move. She didn't think. She didn't react. She just…she just stood there.</p><p>Delilah carefully drew out her sword, adjusting her position on Max's back. Owl circled above her, trying to get a different angle. Adira cautiously took a step toward the Princess.</p><p>Then, it clicked—and by then, it was too late.</p><p>Rapunzel's head drooped forward. Her entire body slouched over. And from her lips, a quiet, dead mantra flowed freely.</p><p>"<em>Wither and decay."</em></p><p>A shock hit them all. Wait. Now? Right now?</p><p>"<em>End this destiny."</em></p><p>"Raps? Raps!" Cass shouted in fear, and she instinctively reached out toward Rapunzel. Yet, just before she could touch her, Adira grabbed her from behind, holding her back.</p><p>"Don't touch her!" Adira warned, keeping her at bay. Cassandra struggled against her, trying to get to Rapunzel's side as fast as possible. The Princess repeated the mantra, staring lifelessly at the ground as the words came out of her mouth in an endless, stoic ramble, dripping like rainwater from a shutter. It was the first time Cassandra had seen the curse with such clarity. The first time, it had been in the dark and in a tremendous storm. The second, it was forced out under Rapunzel's own wishes, slaughtering the wasps. But it was only now that Cassandra could see the true horror of the curse forcing itself onto Rapunzel's body—draining the life out of her skin, her eyes, and turning her sweet, heartfelt voice into something dull and cracked like the jagged blue markings on her skin. Cassandra's fear bubbled up inside her, and she fought even harder to break free from Adira's grasp, desperate to reach her despite the danger.</p><p>Delilah was the only one among them who had any quick sense left within her. Without wasting a single moment, she jumped off of Max and hurried toward Rapunzel, her short blade swinging by her side. She knew she needed to act quickly. She raised her sword high in the air, and with Cassandra and Adira holding themselves back several yards away, she knew she had a clear line of attack. Cassandra was inexorably helpless to watch as Delilah, fulfilling her duties, brought down the sword as hard as she could—and severed the rope that was connecting them all together.</p><p>She only noticed Cassandra's fearful expression after she was finished. Delilah couldn't help herself but briefly flash a knowing smirk.</p><p>The rope was severed just in time. The rope, having been pulled taught by Adira's efforts, snapped back toward Rapunzel upon its release, and the simple laws of physics caused it to rebound toward her hands. The frayed edge of the rope barely connected with the tip of her finger, yet that was all it took. The rope turned black, and a trail of rot quickly ran its way down the hemp and easily devoured it. The rope disintegrated within moments, and Cassandra didn't dare think about what would have happened to them if they had been connected to her while it had happened. With Rapunzel cut free, Delilah returned her sword to its sheath, staring at the chanting, indoctrinated Princess from a safe distance.</p><p>"Well, that crisis was averted. You can thank me—"</p><p>"<em>Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em></p><p>Delilah suddenly went silent. All at once, Cassandra and Adira stopped struggling and ceased moving.</p><p>What…what the hell was that?</p><p>"<em>Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em></p><p>There it was again. Loud. Screeching. Coming from everywhere all at once. The kaleidoscopic sky suddenly stopped turning. The ash became still in the air. The only other sound was Rapunzel's dull, monotonous Incantation. Delilah's smile dropped like a stone and she quickly looked around the horizon, stopping only when, off in the impossibly far distance, she saw…<em>something</em>.</p><p>"Oh, no," she muttered.</p><p>The others looked out to where her gaze met the distance, and they saw it, too: a vague, amorphous shape that seemed to be growing larger as it grew closer.</p><p>Cassandra asked the obvious question. "Uh…what is that thing?"</p><p>Delilah laughed nervously. "Remember when I told you that there was something that we probably didn't need to worry about because we wouldn't be around for too long?"</p><p>"Yes?" Adira nodded.</p><p>"Uh, yeah," Delilah said fearfully. "We may have stuck around for too long."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Crossing Boundaries - Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and the others are led into another world to reach their destination. They might not like what is waiting for them on the other side.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Everybody run!" Delilah screamed, quickly took off sprinting in the other direction. She could only take a few steps before the rope around her waist stopped her dead in her tracks. "Hey, idiots! Let's get going!"</p><p>Adira and Cassandra exchanged one quick glance before they decided to follow suit. They couldn't make out the full shape of what was coming toward them, but whatever it was, they needed to be gone before it arrived. If it was something to terrify the Psychopomp, it was something they doubted they could fight against. Cassandra whistled and called Owl back to her, trying to work out how they would be able to escape.</p><p>"Rapunzel, come on!" Cassandra stated. Despite her anger, they needed to put their fight behind them. Rapunzel's safety was still the most important thing to her. She promised she would keep her safe, no matter what. She would save her from those things. She had to.</p><p>Except Rapunzel didn't move at all. She just stood there, lost in her incantation.</p><p>"<em>Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthy chains, and set the spirit free."</em></p><p>"Raps, we need to go!" Cassandra screamed. Rapunzel did not respond to her call, and Cassandra instinctively reached out toward her hand—only for Adira to cut her off at the last second.</p><p>"Don't touch her!"</p><p>"We can't just leave her," Cassandra said frantically, looking behind her. The thing was getting closer, and another wail rippled through the air. It carried like a siren, an echoing, high pitched bellow that was crossed between the call of a whale and the screech of a falcon.</p><p>
  <em>"Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em>
</p><p>Adira ran through her options as fast as she could. They needed to move Rapunzel. They needed to move her <em>right now</em>. They couldn't drag her. Something else. Hurriedly, Adira called Max over, and while he galloped to her, she pulled out her sword and cut the rope off of her waist. Before Cassandra could determine what she was doing, Adira sliced through her ropes as well, and Delilah shouted out in confusion.</p><p>"Hey, what the hell are you doing?"</p><p>"Improvising," Adira stated. She threw off the remaining ropes, examining them briefly to make sure her plan would work. Working as fast as she could, she grabbed onto Rapunzel's forearm, careful to avoid her fingers, and forced her arm up by her chest. She pulled up her other arm, crossing them over each other in an X to keep her hands up by her shoulders, and then with the frayed remains of the rope, she tied her arms down, binding them to nullify the curse's power. With her hands taken care of, Adira hoisted Rapunzel over her shoulder and easily threw her on top of Max. She climbed on board, leaving the Psychopomp waffling in disbelief.</p><p>"We need to stick together in here!"</p><p>"Then keep up and tell us where to go!" Adira commanded. Cassandra, recognizing that they had little other choices, hurriedly jumped onto Fidella's back and offered the assassin a guiding hand. Delilah paused, frustrated, but with no other choice available to her, she relented. She took Cassandra's hand and allowed herself to get pulled up onto the horse's back. She nervously looked behind herself as the shapeless thing—in fact, <em>many </em>shapeless things—started to close the distance between them. She pointed firmly in one direction and shouted.</p><p>"Go already!"</p><p>Cassandra didn't need to be told twice. She whipped the reins sharply and Fidella took off sprinting, racing across the empty white Void with Adira and Rapunzel in tow. Cassandra tried her hardest not to look back, but that task was almost impossible. There was nothing out ahead of her, nothing but the shadowy, broken horizon and a crystalline sky. She had no clue where she was going, and not the slightest inkling of how they would even escape such a place. The only thing she had to guide her was the willed directions of the woman who wanted her dead earlier that very same day. She didn't know how the Psychopomp was leading her. For all she knew, they could have been running circles amongst the nothingness.</p><p>"<em>Wither and decay. End this destiny. Break these earthy chains, and set the spirit free."</em></p><p>Cassandra couldn't remember feeling so much fear. She could still hear that cursed chant over the clamoring of Fidella's hooves. She couldn't imagine what Rapunzel was feeling at that moment, if she was feeling anything at all. Her hands were tied close to her own chest. She wasn't hurting herself, was she? God, what were they even fighting about just a few seconds ago? She could hardly remember. She needed to be back by her side. She needed to tell Rapunzel she was sorry. Why was she feeling so hot? So lightheaded? She thought she was going to faint. Her head drooped down, and she forced herself to pick up and stay focused.</p><p>Yet she couldn't help but look behind her. A terrible decision. The things were gaining ground on them. Somehow. They were close enough now that she could make out their forms, yet even then, Cassandra found difficulty in comprehending their appearance. They were floating orbs of distortion, crackling and rippling and ever-changing in color and form and structure. They continued to emit that noise, that strange cry of pain that seemed to vibrate Cassandra's very bones. She gritted her teeth and tried to look forward, spurring Fidella to run even faster.</p><p>"What the fuck are those things?" Cassandra shouted over the chaos.</p><p>Delilah's voice trembled. "They're called Eraserheads! They're the Void's antibodies!"</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us about these earlier?"</p><p>"Because emotions seem to piss them off!" Delilah countered. "And I didn't need you all freaking out! Look how that turned out!"</p><p>"Shut up! Wait a second…antibodies?" Cassandra said. "Are you saying this place is <em>alive</em>?"</p><p>"No…yes?" Delilah said, shaking her head. "Look, these things are matter eaters. They try to keep this place free of anything that doesn't belong here. Right now, that means us, so move fucking faster and don't let them touch you!"</p><p>"What happens if they touch you?"</p><p>"You turn into—ah, screw this, just keep going! We're almost there!"</p><p>Cassandra still had no idea what she was running toward. It almost felt like they weren't moving at all amidst the Void's emptiness. But she had to put her trust in Delilah. She had to assume it would be over soon. Just a little bit further…</p><p>
  <em>"Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em>
</p><p>Another cry—from above. Cassandra glanced upward just in time to see another shapeless form diving down toward her. In a panic, she pulled let sharply on the reins, and Fidella sprinted off to the side just before it crashed into the floor, vanishing among the white.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing?" Delilah screamed.</p><p>"Saving our lives!" Cassandra countered, looking around in every direction. Eraserheads. More of them. Everywhere. They seemed to be coming out of the kaleidoscopic sky, forming out of the ether, advancing quickly like swarms. She thought the wasps were bad from before, but this? This was on an entirely different level. They had to keep moving, and Fidella, absent any direct commands from her owner, galloped off in any direction she could find. Cassandra tried to focus on the only notable shape she could: Maximus, galloping beside them. Yet, when she turned to look at him, he was nowhere to be seen. Neither were his riders.</p><p>They had broken apart. Separated.</p><p>On her own, Adira was trying to outrun whatever dangers she could. She maintained steady control of Max, commanding him to move as unpredictably as he could while following the general direction Delilah laid out for them. She saw the others break away from her, but was helpless to follow them as a cluster of five Eraserheads cut off her path. She was forced to divert in the opposite direction, focusing on staying alive above all else.</p><p>Rapunzel's chanting refused to cease, and Adira growled in frustration. "Princess, if you could snap out of this at any time! I could really use the help with navigation."</p><p>No sooner did the words escape her lips than an Eraserhead arrived quickly at her left flank. It moved on her rapidly, and she had no choice but to fight back. Sword in hand, she steadied herself on Max's back, and took a hard swing directly toward it, not knowing if she could even make contact with such a bizarre creature. The blade connected with the Eraserhead, but it did not go through. The moment it made contact, the sharp steel suddenly splintered and fragmented—not into random, jagged pieces, but into long, thin ribbons all the way down to the hilt. The sword lost all of its texture and rigidness, and the hundred long, paper-thin ridges instead flopped and wobbled in the air like wet noodles, dangling uselessly from the hilt of the sword. One loose strand of matter broke free and flew off the handle, colliding with the strange, otherworldly being. Upon contact, the entire formless Eraserhead suddenly took on a new color, matching hues with the piece of metal as they merged and absorbed into each other, and soon after, it came to a sudden stop and dropped to the floor like a stone, crashing through the white floor and leaving a gaping hole in its wake, dark as the night sky.</p><p>Adira looked at her hilt in disbelief, muttering under her breath as the damaged remnants of her sword dangled in the win. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."</p><p>Before Adira could linger on the thought of being weaponless, or process the Eraserhead's sudden disappearance, she hurt a groan of pain from behind her.</p><p>"Ugh…what…"</p><p>Adira glimpsed back for only a moment, long enough to see the Princess's glossy eyes flutter open and look around in a daze.</p><p>"Glad to see you're up!" Adira shouted back, trying to weave around the Eraserheads' continuous onslaught.</p><p>"What the…" Rapunzel groaned. Her head was blazing in pain. She couldn't move her arms. Her chest was burning something fierce was well—likely the result of a new scar opening itself up on her skin. She felt nauseous, and all she could see was the white Void beneath her and the fierce kicking of Max's legs. She could hardly remember anything past entering the Void. All she could recall was someone screaming about something, and then her head felt light and—</p><p>
  <em>"Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em>
</p><p>Rapunzel was kicked out of her own train of thought by the awful sound echoing around her. She strained her neck to look up, and an immediate jolt of fear ran through her.</p><p>"W-What is that?" Rapunzel cried, immediately trying to pull away only to find herself unable to move. "Hey, what—why am I tied up?"</p><p>"Sorry. Had to do it," Adira said frantically. Out of a trance, the Princess was no longer dangerous; if anything, she was now a liability. Adira raised her sword behind her to cut through Rapunzel's ropes, only to remember that her sword was currently in fragments. She saw another Eraserhead closing in, mere feet away from touching Rapunzel's face. In desperation, Adira flung her useless hilt directly toward it, and it connected just as it nearly came in contact with Rapunzel's cheek. The hilt spaghettified and was quickly absorbed into the massless form, and soon, the creature turned bronze and crashed through the floor, dropping suddenly. Rapunzel, in her panic to get away from it, wriggled along Max's back; yet, with a scream, her body weight shifted, and she found herself suddenly sliding off the horse. Adira was barely able to reach back and grab a handful of her dress to stop her before she fell, and with all of her strength, Adira yanked Rapunzel back up to a stable position.</p><p>"Thank you," Rapunzel said breathlessly, yet she hadn't any time to relax. More Eraserheads were coming in swarms, each one hounding them with no end in sight. Rapunzel was able to twist and turn herself so that she could rest on her side and keep a lookout behind them. "More incoming!"</p><p>"I know!" Adira stated. She ordered Max left. Forward. Right. Left. Any direction she could think of. The Void was a vast, empty field. She should have had plenty of room to maneuver, yet more and more space seemed to be filled with those bizarre monsters. They dove down in front of her, seemingly uncaring for their own existence as they shattered into the floor upon contact. Max was the best horse in Corona, thankfully, and his instincts were sharper than almost anyone else. Still, even he had difficulty keeping track of all the invaders. Rapunzel looked around desperately for any hope of escape, and it was only then that she truly noticed something.</p><p>"Hey, where's Cass?"</p><p>Adira squinted, looking out over the horizon. She knew those women had to be somewhere…somewhere…there! Far off in the shadows, bleeding into the distant shapes, was the outline of a horse, sprinting through a sky of shapes. Adira found her target. She just had to get there.</p><p>"Come on, Max. Kick it up!"</p><p>Max neighed, and despite pushing himself to his limit, found a way to fight even harder. He galloped across the clearing with all of his might, driven by the knowledge of his friends' danger. He had come all this way to help them, of course. No matter what his personal animosity toward Cassandra and that assassin, he was still as loyal and trustworthy as they came. He wouldn't falter to save them.</p><p>As they made their way across the field, Eraserheads in tow, Delilah was firing off arrows like her life depended on it. Every one of them pierced its target, collapsing into ribbons and sending its keepers down crashing through the floor. But for every one she hit, two more seemed to take its place.</p><p>"Dammit, these things don't end!" she cried in frustration.</p><p>"How do we get out of here?" Cass asked, feeling their odds of survival decreasing by the second.</p><p>"I have to portal us out of here," Delilah explained, firing off another arrow from her crossbow.</p><p>"So, do it already!"</p><p>"I have to do it in a specific spot!" Delilah explained. "If I just throw it anywhere, we could come out at any point in history! Throwing yourself across all of spacetime is dangerous!"</p><p>"Who cares where we come out?" Cass screamed at her. "Anywhere is better than here!"</p><p>Delilah was forced to agree, unfortunately. She was running low on arrows, and the Eraserheads only seemed to be multiplying. Still, opening a gateway in a random spot? It could be suicide. They could throw themselves into an active volcano millions of years ago, or a frozen tundra in the future, or inside of a rock wall. There was no telling what would happen to them when they came out the other side. But then again, staying in the Void was not an option. If they came out the other side okay, they could always return to the Void the next day when the coast was clear and make it to Madrid then.</p><p>The Psychopomp scanned the horizon. She could see the others racing toward them, undoubtedly trying to rescue them. She supposed now was as good of a time as any.</p><p>"Your friends are east. Head toward them as fast as you can!" Delilah said, pulling out the volcanic stone from the bag around her waist. Cassandra turned Fidella at a hard angle, and at the assassin's orders, started to sprint toward Max as fast as she could. The two were set on a collision course with each other, with clusters of Eraserheads filling the air behind them.</p><p>"Whatever you're doing, hurry up!" Cassandra ordered as the distance between her and Max shrank rapidly. Fifty feet.</p><p>"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" Delilah shouted back, holding out the rock out in front of her. She aimed it straight ahead at the point where they would all collide with one another.</p><p>Forty feet.</p><p>"What the—" Adira said in shock, realizing that Cassandra wasn't changing course.</p><p>"What's wrong?" asked Rapunzel.</p><p>"Well, this is a bad plan," Adira said pointedly.</p><p>Thirty feet.</p><p>"Open the portal, Delilah!" Cass screamed.</p><p>"It takes a second to open! Calm down!" Delilah screamed right back.</p><p>
  <em>"Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em>
</p><p>"Open the fucking portal already!"</p><p>Twenty feet.</p><p>"I'm trying to! Give me a—"</p><p>The volcanic rock suddenly came to life, and a powerful beam of energy shot past Cassandra's head and struck the ground out in front of her. The sky crackled and tore apart, and miraculously, thankfully, another gateway materialized in plain view. It was a single straight shot to freedom. Cassandra leaned forward and smirked.</p><p>"There we go!" she said with a laugh. "Come on, Fidella! Keep going! Almost there!"</p><p>Fidella bowed her head and raced toward the gateway, and on the opposite side, Max powered forward as well. Adira kept him on a steady course while Rapunzel watched the Eraserheads descend on them from all angles.</p><p>"We're just about there, Princess!" Adira informed her. "Just a little longer and we're out!"</p><p>Rapunzel had to trust in her that she was right. She could barely concentrate on anything. There was too much noise. Too much confusion. The pain from the curse was ringing tight in her chest. She couldn't remember a single thing that had happened to her. It only seemed to linger in bits and pieces. Was she…was she yelling at Cassandra? Why would she be doing that? She seemed to remember feelings of pain and guilt, but she couldn't recall their context. She needed to speak to Cass once they were safe. For some reason, she felt desperate to protect what they had.</p><p>Max hurried toward the gateway. Fidella closed in on the other side. They were so close.</p><p>Ten feet.</p><p>
  <em>"Gyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm."</em>
</p><p>From out of nowhere, an Eraserhead dove down directly in front of Maximus's path. He reared back and turned harshly to avoid it, dodging past it in a highly agile burst of speed—but his movements were so drastic that Rapunzel, with no way to hang on or support herself, was suddenly thrown off his back, landing hard on the floor. Max sprinted forward, his adrenaline fueling him, and the sound of the Eraserheads was so loud, that for just a few brief, unfortunate seconds, neither he nor Adira realized that she had fallen off. It was only as his momentum carried him through the gateway did he realize his load was lightened, and Adira turned back in horror as Rapunzel, bound and helpless, was left alone in the Void.</p><p>"Rapun—"</p><p>Her words were silenced as she passed through the gateway. All Rapunzel could do was watch in stunned silence as she faded into another world.</p><p>"Adira!"</p><p>From the other side, Cassandra heard the cry echo, and as Fidella hurried toward the gateway, unable to see the catastrophe on the other side, Cass felt something horribly wrong with her. She swore she heard Adira scream over the tremendous wailing of the Eraserheads, but she couldn't see past the gate.</p><p>Rapunzel calling out for help.</p><p>Was she?</p><p>No, she realized. Her mind was playing tricks on her. It had to be. Rapunzel surely passed through the gate. Adira was watching her. She wouldn't let her down.</p><p>Fidella pushed forward. She was so close to freedom. The Eraserheads were whispering against her tail. She had no choice but to keep pushing forward. In an act of desperation, Fidella lunged toward the gateway, trying to escape the reality as fast as possible.</p><p>It was only at the last possible second did Cassandra jump off her back, her dread overpowering all of her rationality.</p><p>Delilah screamed at her. "What the hell are you—"</p><p>She was soon gone, and Cassandra was alone with Owl strapped to her hand. She landed on the white floor and rolled immediately to her feet. She was still by the doorway, seconds from freedom. She could jump through at any moment. She just had to be sure no one would be left behind. The Eraserheads paused momentarily as their main target vanished—and then quickly, they turned their focus to her.</p><p>Cassandra sprinted around the gate, and upon reaching the other side, her eyes went wide with terror. Rapunzel was ten feet away, lying on the ground and unable to stand as the Eraserheads closed in on her from above. Cassandra didn't have time to think. She didn't have time to process any of it. She just let her instincts take over.</p><p>Rapunzel was in danger.</p><p>Rapunzel was going to die.</p><p>Help her.</p><p>Save her.</p><p>No matter what.</p><p>Cassandra sprinted to Rapunzel's side as fast as she could. An Eraserhead greedily floated down toward her, ready to eradicate her from its world. Rapunzel screamed and shut her eyes tightly, pushing herself flat against the floor. She couldn't get out. She couldn't move. She felt so powerless, so fragile and weak and pathetic. The others were gone. They were free from this mess she had gotten herself into. At least she could take solace in that.</p><p>"Get away from her!" Cassandra cried. She unsheathed her sword and threw it as hard as she could toward the Eraserhead, and without even waiting to see its impact, she dove on top of Rapunzel and just…hugged her. She hugged her as tight as she possibly could, shielding her with her body for as long as she was able. Rapunzel gasped at the sudden contact, at Cassandra's fingers clutching her tight…and she felt a strange sense of peace.</p><p>The sword collided with the creature, spaghettifying and being absorbed like all the rest. The Eraserhead stopped dead in its tracks, morphing into an off-color, dark grey blob of matter, and then it collapsed directly next to where Cassandra and Rapunzel lay. Its presence immediately shattered through the floor beneath them, leaving a gaping hole into the dark abyss beneath—and it was only fitting for their luck that the gap expanded far, causing the ground beneath them to tilt and lead them toward the hole.</p><p>Rapunzel's eyes shot open as she felt the ground give way beneath her, and for just a moment, she was able to see Cassandra's eyes staring back at her, mere inches apart.</p><p>How funny. Seconds away from dying, and Rapunzel only just noticed: those hazel eyes of her seemed so…perfect.</p><p>Then, the floor completely gave way beneath them, and they screamed as they fell together into the pitch-black nothingness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Familiar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and Cassandra fall through space and time only to end up somewhere familiar.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We hope you've been enjoying this story. One of the things we enjoyed about RTA (especially season 2), was the variety of scenarios the cast would find themselves in each episode. In one episode they are defending a small town from bandits. Now they're birds. Now they're on an island with weird plant people. We wanted to capture that same sense of variety and strangeness, though just a tad more screwed up for the rating. Crossing dimensions and being chased by shapeless monsters that sphagettify whatever they touch is part of that. We hope we only get more creative from here and keep the characters growing. Thanks to the people who read this and share their thoughts. It means a lot. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Raps! Hang on!"</em></p><p>Falling.</p><p>Falling into nothingness.</p><p>Falling deeper into the Void.</p><p>"<em>Please, Raps! You have to stay with me!</em></p><p>Cassandra? Where…where was she? There was darkness in every direction. She felt Cassandra holding her, but that touch seemed faded, stretched—every molecule breaking apart from the next and fragmenting into echoes upon themselves.</p><p>"<em>Rapunzel! Rap—aaaaahhhh!"</em></p><p>Cassandra's touch left her. Her screams echoed and distorted upon themselves, ringing in Rapunzel's ears. Her head felt like it was splitting in half. Was it? What was…</p><p>Anything.</p><p>Waitno…</p><p>Whatw as h appen in g .</p><p>She was so tiredderit os saw sheS</p><p>N</p><p>Ommmmmmmm</p><p>UBhsjcjdbacnjbcehjdhabjvcahb</p><p>…</p><p>help</p><hr/><p>Rapunzel woke up gasping for breath. She sat upright in bed, clutching at her heart, trying to control get ahold of herself. Her entire body felt like it had been stretched apart and hastily stitched back together again. Her skin tingled all over, and despite being wrapped in silk sheets, she couldn't recall ever feeling so uncomfortable. Her stomach rolled in knots. She was sweating like mad.</p><p>Cassandra.</p><p>Those screams—they contained unmistakable <em>agony</em>.</p><p>Rapunzel looked all around her, but Rapunzel was nowhere to be found in her room. She couldn't hear her. Where had she gone? The last thing she remembered was Cassandra's eyes, so heartbroken and terrified. She reached up and grabbed a few handfuls of her long locks to run her fingers through it, a nervous habit that she had fallen into. She tried to recall anything, but it was all still so blurry. The screams of those awful monsters were still echoing in her…</p><p>In her…</p><p>Rapunzel immediately stopped thinking about everything.</p><p>Wait. What?</p><p>She looked down at the hair in her hands. She looked at her bed—<em>her </em>bed. <em>Her </em>sheets. She looked at her room and every familiar object within.</p><p>Was she…was she dreaming? Hallucinating. That was her bed she was sleeping in. That her hair in her hands. Everything was exactly the way that she remembered it, from the angle of the light through her windows right down to the loose screws in the frame. That was impossible. Very impossible. She remembered it so clearly. She frantically scrambled out of her bed, throwing her sheets onto the floor. She stumbled over to her mirror, shaking so badly that she was barely able to stand. She leaned in front of it, staring into the glass, and what she saw caused her to doubt everything.</p><p>She was normal. Perfectly normal. Not a blue scar in sight.</p><p>No, she was better than normal. She was blonde.</p><p>Rapunzel stared wide into her reflection, unable to explain what the sight was in front of her. Hair. Long, blonde indestructible hair cascaded in seventy feet behind her. Was it real? She patted her scalp, clawing her fingers through it in a hectic haze. Nope. Real. Very real. Extremely, actually real.</p><p>The floor beneath her bare feet: real.</p><p>Mirror: real.</p><p>She stuck out her tongue, pinched her cheeks, stretched out her face to make sure it was her own. She ran her hands down her arms and legs. All squishy and tender and tangible. No matter how many times she checked, the truth was that she really was back inside her own room, in her own body, pristine and pure as ever before. It was real.</p><p>Except it wasn't, obviously. It couldn't have been. Five minutes ago, she was with Cassandra in the Void, running from shapeless monsters that spaghettified everything they touched. They had been arguing with each other, and then the curse had taken over, and the next thing she knew, she was tied up and fleeing for her life before falling into, well, nothingness.</p><p>She tried to get ahold of herself. She had to stay calm. Think. Focus. Don't collapse. She had collapsed far too much over the past few days.</p><p>Nothingness. What a bizarre feeling that was. She still couldn't shake it off. It was like her memories were bending and blurring together. This room, this hair: surely it was caused by that. Falling through the Void. Delilah said that the Void could travel them across space and time. Would it not be possible that it could somehow take her back home? She thought she could only traverse in and out of that place through the portal, but she had fallen instead into the strange black abyss. But if it was true that she had somehow fallen through time itself, could she not have returned to where she used to be in a time she already lived. If she had the Sundrop back in her possession—she was stuck in the past.</p><p>Or was she? Was she sure that was what the Void had done that? How was any of this even possible? Everything was so bizarre. Her head was still killing her, a lingering effect from the curse taking a hold of her. Just in case she needed a reminder that everything that had happened in the previous week <em>wasn't </em>a bad dream. She clutched her head and groaned softly.</p><p>"Ow…"</p><p>And then, she felt something warm and wet thwack her in the temple. Her eyes shot open wide. She felt a very slight, familiar weight on her shoulder. Her gaze refocused onto the mirror, focusing on the little green creature that had scooted onto her shoulder and lovingly latched his tongue onto her face. He didn't really seem to understand why she was in pain, or why froze up when she looked at him, or why, after a few silent moments, her eyes suddenly welled with tears. He only knew that he didn't mind when she quickly scooped him up in her palms and nestled him against her cheek, falling softly to her knees.</p><p>"Pascal. Oh, Pascal…"</p><p>At that moment, Rapunzel still didn't understand what was happening to her. She didn't know how they were reunited. But she had Pascal in her hands again. He was safe. She didn't care about anything else. She just wanted to hold her oldest friend close to her once again.</p><p>The small reptile seemed confused but nevertheless hugged her back with his tiny arms. Hugs from Rapunzel? Never a bad thing. Don't question it. She held him for a long time, sniffling as she tried and failed not to make a mess of herself. It felt like she hadn't seen him in forever, even though it was only a few days since she had left. She forgot how much she had missed the ridges of his scales and the adorable little squeaks he made whenever she showed him affection. She pulled him away for his face only so she could look at him clearer. She laughed as she desperately wiped the tears away from her face, all while Pascal simply looked at her like he had no idea what was happening.</p><p>"I'm so happy to see you," Rapunzel said warmly, stroking the top of his head. She let all of her other concerns fall by the wayside for just a little while. Even if this was sometime else—even if he wasn't even the real Pascal—she wanted a moment all alone with him. It was too hard to control her emotions. The pain and the guilt she felt from parting from him, the horror that she would never get to see him smile at her before something happened to her…the absolute <em>nightmare</em> that would have consumed her if she had killed him with her curse. It was her fault that he was hurt in the first place. She just happened to be holding him when that Incantation came out. It was an accident. A stupid accident and nothing more. Yet, she knew she would never forgive herself. It would have to be something she struggled with if she was given the chance to keep going.</p><p>Rapunzel suddenly remembered: Pascal wasn't the only one she had injured.</p><p>It was astonishing how quickly she raced how out of the room, speeding down the hallway as fast as she could. Pascal clung to her for dear life as she bolted across the castle halls, her tired legs barely keeping up with the pace she demanded from them. She passed by confused guards and maidens as she sprinted to his room, praying that he would be okay. He had to be. It only made sense. It didn't matter where she was or what was causing her to be here. What mattered was that this was Corona. She was home and healthy. She could see him again. She skidded into a stop directly in front of his door and pounded on it as hard as she could. She waited, and waited, and waited, her heart beating so fast that it threatened to burst out of her chest. It was still early in the morning, far too soon for him to be anywhere but in his bed. He had to be there.</p><p>And she waited for an eternity until eventually, Eugene opened the door with a yawn.</p><p>"Ahhhhh…hey, Blondie. What's—"</p><p>The words barely escaped him before Rapunzel lunged at him, tackling him onto his bedroom floor.</p><p>"Eugene! I love you so much!"</p><p>Rapunzel could barely speak through her laughs and tears. She peppered his face with kisses, hugging him so tightly that all he could do was lie there, held hostage by her embrace. He held his arms awkwardly above him, confused as all hell, but he brushed off her affectionate attack with a laugh.</p><p>"Rapunzel, please. I've told you before not to kiss me until I've had a chance to moisturize. You deserve me at my best."</p><p>She smiled and nestled tightly into his neck, squeezing him as hard as she could. She was staining his nightshirt with her tears, and she knew that he would complain about her ruining it. Honestly, she couldn't wait. Anything he said would be music to her ears.</p><p>"You…you have <em>no idea</em> how much I missed you," she sighed.</p><p>"Missed me?" Eugene said, lightly patting her on the back. "Rapunzel, it's only been eight hours. What has gotten into you?"</p><p>Rapunzel dug her fingers into his collar, breathing into him gently. He felt so…so…</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>So</p><p>…</p><p>Rapunzel had to refocus. Her emotions must have been running higher than she thought. She squeezed Eugene even tighter, assuring himself of his realness.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's just…I'm kind of overwhelmed right now."</p><p>While Eugene may have been initially amused by Rapunzel's behavior, he very quickly realized that something was very wrong with the Princess. To see her in such a highly emotional state was unusual—after everything they had been through, he thought that kind of pain was behind them.</p><p>"Hey, Blondie, are you okay?" He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and helped guide her up to her feet. When both of them were standing, he was able to notice how her face had turned a deep shade of red, and her eyes were heavy with tears, and she seemed to be shaking all over as she struggled to maintain her breath. "What's wrong? Bad dream? Did something happen?"</p><p>Did something happen? A lot happened, but how was she supposed to explain that to him. She didn't know at what point she was supposed to begin: that she was from the future, that she was cursed, that he was severely wounded, and that she was the cause, or none of this may have been real in the first place. She had a lot going through her mind, and she felt herself wobbling on her feet. Eugene carefully guided her to the bed, where she was able to sit and catch her breath. Pascal crawled onto the back of her hand, equally concerned with her unusual emotional outburst. Rapunzel's hair cascaded over her legs, and she tried to refamiliarize herself with the weight that she had to carry with her for so long.</p><p>"Eugene," Rapunzel said slowly, "this is going to sound like a very strange question, but: What day is it?"</p><p>Eugene raised an eyebrow. "What? Rapunzel, even you know what day it is. How could you forget?"</p><p>"No, that's not what I mean," Rapunzel said nervously. Darn, how was she going to begin going through this? "I woke up today feeling, um…<em>really </em>lost and confused. I just kind of need to get my head on straight."</p><p>"Geez, what happened to you last night?" Eugene sighed. "I hope Cassandra didn't do anything too rough."</p><p>Rapunzel's eyes lit up. "Cass? She's here."</p><p>"Right where she always is: dwelling like a sewer creature," Eugene stated. He reflexively cringed. "Sorry, sorry. Shouldn't have said that I know. Trying to be nicer."</p><p>"C-Can you take me to her?" Rapunzel asked, squeezing Eugene's hand tightly. She had been such a mess she hadn't even considered it. She woke up back in Corona exactly where she used to be. If Cassandra had fallen through the Void with her, it only made sense that she would suffer the exact same fate. If they were in the past—or at least a proximally of it—it was possible she could have been thrown into, well, a tumultuous part of their history at the very least. Yet, if Cassandra really was still with them, and they were in Corona, and she had her blonde hair, then at the very least, she had a rough approximation of when she was supposed to be. That would be useful. Somehow. She hoped.</p><p>Eugene shrugged and carefully lifted Rapunzel to her feet, escorting her back into the hallway. He allowed her to lean on him for support, though she tried to keep upright on her own, her long hair trailing across the floor behind her.</p><p>"Seriously, no offense," he said carefully, "but you look a little bit like a mess right now."</p><p>"It's been a rough week," Rapunzel stated, though the truth was that she felt substantially better than she did just a few hours earlier. She felt even better than when Cassandra applied that healing gel over. It was like all of the pain, the sluggishness, the dread—it all up and vanished in the blink of an eye. She was still emotionally troubled, but physically it was the best she felt in a long while. Eugene only seemed more puzzled by her response.</p><p>"You do not seem to be acting normal," he informed her. He glanced nervously at Pascal, but all the chameleon could do was shrug from his perch on Rapunzel's shoulder. "What were you and Cassandra up to last night? Actually, scratch that. I don't want to know the details."</p><p>"I will explain <em>everything</em>," Rapunzel promised. "I just need to talk to Cassandra for a little bit, and then we will sit down and go over what's been happening."</p><p>"Is it bad?"</p><p>Rapunzel pursed her lips.</p><p>"It's nothing we aren't used to."</p><p>In fairness, that wasn't totally downplaying it.</p><p>Her walk to Cassandra's room was almost nostalgic. It had been a while since she had been down to that place. She didn't have much of a reason to go anymore, and lingering for too long only made her think about what could have been. She was trying her best to move on with the rest of her life, and she always felt like it would be doing Cass a disservice to dwell on her absence. Or, at least, that was what she convinced herself of. Over the past day, she had increasingly begun to doubt the narrative that she crafted for herself in her head, and the further she was removed from the Void, the more her memory came back of that very rough argument she had within it. It had all just come over her like a storm, crashing into her and spilling itself out from the dark recesses of her mind.</p><p>
  <em>"I'm just saying maybe it's better to know that the person has the knife out before you get stabbed in the back."</em>
</p><p>Damn. She honestly couldn't believe she had said such a thing. It might have been the meanest thing she had said to anyone aside from Gothel. Was any of it true? Of course not…right? And suppose that any of it <em>was </em>true. She still didn't have to say it like that. She didn't have to be intentionally hateful. It was almost like she couldn't stop herself from being her worst possible self, a self that she wasn't even aware she had.</p><p>She couldn't believe anything that Cassandra said either. It was maddening trying to keep up with Cassandra's contradictions. She had made it clear over and over and <em>over</em> again that she wanted them to be apart, but her mind had been so tainted with self-loathing that everything Cassandra said had to be interpreted through a thick lens just to make sense of it. Rapunzel was practically dying to help her, yet every single time she tried to pry, Cassandra would close herself off just like before. And when Cassandra <em>did</em> want to open up with her, like during their bath? Rapunzel thought back carefully. She seemed so willing to express herself back then, more vulnerable than any other time they were together. Rapunzel was so close to reaching her back then, mere inches from a breakthrough. She had felt it—and then, in the span of seconds, she remembered seeing Cassandra's gaze flicker and she closed herself off for good. What was it that Rapunzel said which affected her like that? Her memory was still too fuzzy.</p><p>Oh, yeah. Sisters. Something about sisters. And then back in the Void.</p><p>"<em>We aren't fucking sisters! I've always hated when you called me that! There's no blood, there's no…just, fucking nothing."</em></p><p>There's nothing.</p><p>Rapunzel held tightly onto that phrase.</p><p>There's <em>nothing</em>.</p><p>By the time Rapunzel reached Cassandra's room, she had regained enough of her composure to stand on her own. Eugene took a step back, knowing to keep his distance between them. Even Pascal seemed to vanish, hiding behind a thin curtain of Rapunzel's hair as she took a deep breath. She knocked hurriedly on the door, and like before, she waited for an answer.</p><p>Unlike before, it didn't take long for her to get one.</p><p>"H-Hello?"</p><p>"Cassandra! Are you okay?" Rapunzel shouted through the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard a quick call back.</p><p>"Uh, yeah! I'm okay."</p><p>Rapunzel pressed her head against the wooden door, smiling softly. "Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried."</p><p>"Do you know what's going on?" Cassandra asked. She sounded terrified, and rightfully so. She at least seemed to be equally as aware of their recent journey as Rapunzel was, and that brought the Princess some small comfort. Even though she was also scared, she tried to stay calm as she reached toward the door handle.</p><p>"No, but I don't think it's bad. We can—"</p><p>Rapunzel tried to move the handle, but to her surprise, she found it wouldn't budge.</p><p>"Um, Cass? Can you unlock the door?"</p><p>Cassandra was silent for a long moment. A little too long.</p><p>"Uh…yeah. Just…just give me a minute."</p><p>Rapunzel heard rapid footsteps from behind the door. What was Cassandra panicking for? They were safe, right? Unless something happened to Cassandra on their way down. No, that was impossible. Surely, they met the same fate: forced into this world of their past selves. Or…something. Cassandra should have been fine. The important thing was that she was fine, and that they would get out of this mess, and that she was fine, and that they would get out of this mess, and that she was fine, and that they would get out of this…</p><p>Rapunzel shut her eyes tight, shaking the confusion out of her head. So trippy. So muddy. Focus. Breathe. <em>Focus</em>.</p><p>Cassandra.</p><p>Yes, Cassandra and her safety. Think about that. Worry about that before anything else.</p><p>"Cass, what's going on?"</p><p>Cassandra seemed to laugh nervously. "Well, uh, I'm not really sure how to put this. We've got a small problem."</p><p>"I know," said Rapunzel, awkwardly glancing behind her at the massive trail of hair in her wake. "I'm sure we can fix it whatever it is."</p><p>"I hope so," Cass said worriedly, her voice growing closer to the door. "Because this is incredibly weird."</p><p>"Honestly, I'm not sure it can be weirder," Rapunzel admitted. The handle slowly turned, and Rapunzel took a step back, ready to face whatever Cassandra had in store for her. When the door finally swung open, an exasperated Cass was leaning against the frame, frantically pointing to her own head. She was dressed down to almost nothing save for a long white nightshirt, and as shocking as it was to see Cassandra so nearly exposed, her gaze was almost immediately drawn upward to Cassandra's finger—and then it became <em>very noticeable </em>what the problem was.</p><p>Cassandra's hair was bright blue, as were her eyes, which were initially narrowed and bitter until they noticed Rapunzel's hair as well. Then, they simply drew wide as Cassandra's jaw dropped.</p><p>"Oh, you've got to be fucking <em>kidding</em> <em>me</em>."</p><p>Rapunzel wouldn't use such harsh language, though her sentiment was nearly identical.</p><p>"Why…why do you have blue hair?" Rapunzel asked quickly.</p><p>"Why do you have blonde hair?" Cassandra shot back.</p><p>"Do you have the Moonstone?"</p><p>"I don't know!"</p><p>"That's why you'd have that hair, right?"</p><p>"I think so!"</p><p>"So you have it?"</p><p>"Do you have the Sundrop?"</p><p>"I don't know!"</p><p>"Why are we here?"</p><p>"I don't know!"</p><p>"Why is Fitzherbert here?"</p><p>"I don't—"</p><p>Rapunzel suddenly stopped panicking as her gaze slightly shifted. Then, even <em>more </em>panicked, she pointed directly at Cassandra's hand.</p><p>"Why do you have that?"</p><p>Have that? Have what? Cassandra looked down at her hand, perplexed, and then she nearly jumped back in shock.</p><p>Her hand was normal. Not black—<em>normal</em>. Unwithered and perfectly pale like the rest of her. And in case that wasn't enough to send a very confused jolt of panic down her spine, she couldn't help but notice that her hand happened to be adorned with what seemed to be a very large, very expensive engagement ring. Cassandra stammered, looking at her hand from all angles, then looking back at Rapunzel, and then back at her hand, and then back at Rapunzel, and then at Rapunzel's hand, and then she screamed.</p><p>"Why do <em>you </em>have <em>that</em>?"</p><p>Rapunzel looked down at her own hand, and her reaction of panic was much the same. She hadn't noticed that her wedding ring was absent before, but in actuality, it had been replaced by another ring, one with a massive, glistening diamond that, for some reason, matched the one that Cassandra had on her hand. Rapunzel's brain worked into overdrive to explain this. She thought they were in the past. She could deal with that. She had gone to the past before. Time travel was no big deal. But this? This didn't match up with anything in their history. If they weren't at some point within their own reality, then just where the hell were they?</p><p>Eugene, watching them sputter and shout at each other like mad, thought it was finally a wise idea to insert himself into the situation. "Girls, girls, seriously. Calm down. What is going on?"</p><p>"That's what you need to tell us!" Cassandra shouted at him, prodding at the ring on her finger as if it was some sort of leech sucking her dry.</p><p>Rapunzel reached quickly for conclusions. False reality? Alternate history? Mirror dimension? Please, not another mirror dimension. The Void had taken them to someplace where they still had their powers, but their paths had significantly shifted. If they had their powers, did that mean they never fought each other? Was Cassandra never injured by her? And those rings…she felt like the only logical explanation would be…</p><p>"Um, Eugene?" Rapunzel asked nervously. "You said earlier that today was a special day? Would you be so kind to remind us of what that is?"</p><p>Eugene scoffed, placing his hands on his hips. "What, am I suddenly better at remembering dates than you are? You have to know this. It's the one-year anniversary of the day Cassandra took our nice, simple, perfectly happy relationship and complicated all of it by confessing her feelings."</p><p>Cassandra's heart skipped a beat.</p><p>Rapunzel stared at Eugene in shock. She glanced back at Cassandra, looking for answers, but instead, she found a blank canvas of a human face, too stunned to even react.</p><p>Feelings? Wait, did he mean—</p><p>Eugene threw his arms up into the air, and quickly scooped Rapunzel up into his arms, managing to smile despite the <em>very minor</em> level of aggravation in his voice.</p><p>"Happy Learning How to Share Rapunzel with Cassandra Day!"</p><p>Rapunzel froze in his arms.</p><p>Share...her?</p><p>With <em>Cass</em>?</p><p>That was un was was un was un un was un was was un un was un that was unexpected.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. So...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel and Cassandra deal with a very uncomfortable revelation.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes, we're doing this now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rapunzel sat on one side of the bed, her blond hair splayed out far and wide over the mattress. Cassandra sat on the other side, keeping her head down as she twiddled her thumbs in her lap.</p><p>They had not spoken to each other in around…God, how long had they been sitting there?</p><p>Six, maybe seven <em>years</em>? Felt about right.</p><p>Rapunzel looked down at her ring. She was shocked by how gaudy it looked. Did Cassandra buy that thing for her? It matched the one on Cass's finger almost perfectly, and she didn't think like she would have bought something like that. Then again, there were <em>a lot</em> of things she didn't think she would do that she apparently would.</p><p>"So…" she tried to start.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Um."</p><p>"Well?"</p><p>"Uh…"</p><p>Cassandra sighed. "Look, I don't know what the hell Fitzherbert is talking about."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I-I mean, that's what you're wondering about, right?" Cassandra said bluntly. "Because I have no clue what he means by any of it."</p><p>"O-Okay, then," Rapunzel said, trying her best to accept it. "It's just that it's a very <em>weird</em> thing to hear about."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Us being <em>married </em>to each other."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Because that would imply—"</p><p>"Things that just are, like—"</p><p>"<em>Not</em> going on."</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>"Right."</p><p>They both waited in awkward silence for another eternity.</p><p>Rapunzel nervously scratched the back of her neck. "Because if we <em>were</em> married, that would mean—"</p><p>"You don't have to say it."</p><p>"—that we were in a position where we were willing to do that."</p><p>"Which we're not. We are…we are <em>just </em>friends."</p><p>"Right."</p><p>"We are friends and…and we leave it at that…and neither of us have ever considered anything beyond that."</p><p>"Because that would be <em>very</em> weird."</p><p>"Extremely weird."</p><p>"And like…the polyamorous thing—"</p><p>"Also weird."</p><p>"Also weird," Rapunzel agreed, staring wide-eyed at the floor. She cleared her throat, gripping her fingers tightly against the edge of the bed. "Look, I think we should just…<em>ignore</em> this—"</p><p>"Yes!" Cassandra said a little too eagerly. She quickly tampered down on her excitement, clearing her throat as well. "I mean, like…yes. We should do that."</p><p>"There are so many more important things to worry about."</p><p>"That's <em>exactly </em>what I was thinking."</p><p>"And you know, us being married to each other probably doesn't really say anything about us either."</p><p>"Nope. Not at all."</p><p>"We're in an alternate universe, and there could have been <em>hundreds</em> of different circumstances that would have led to us wanting to be…" Rapunzel cleared her throat again. "<em>Romantically </em>involved with one another."</p><p>"And we'll never know what they are, so why think about them?" Cassandra said, knowing full well that she literally could have just asked this version of Eugene to explain the circumstances to them. She hoped Rapunzel would politely disregard that fact.</p><p>"Y-Yes! So true," Rapunzel said with a small, hurried laugh, politely disregarding the fact that she literally could just ask this version of Eugene to explain the circumstances to them. "The important thing is: This is going to change <em>nothing </em>between us."</p><p>"Absolutely nothing."</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"<em>Nothing</em>."</p><p>"So, on the count of three," Rapunzel said calmly, "we are going to turn around and face each other, and we can safely ignore this who marriage thing."</p><p>"Sounds good," Cassandra said, actively telling her heart to stop <em>beating so fucking fast</em>. "Turn around on three. One."</p><p>"Two."</p><p>"Three," they said together and turned around on the bed. Their eyes met for maybe a second—and then they immediately turned back around, facing the floor in shame. Rapunzel brushed her fingers through her golden locks, and Cassandra just growled in frustration.</p><p>"Oh, screw this." She stood up and began to pace on the opposite side of the mattress, her gaze never leaving the floor in front of her. "We shouldn't be getting so worked up over this. There are way more pressing matters than what some alternate universe version of ourselves are doing. We need to find a way back as soon as possible."</p><p>On one hand, Rapunzel agreed with Cassandra. It was one of the most rational things she had said in the past twenty-four hours. She was still cursed, and she didn't need to hurt Eugene and Pascal <em>again</em>. Plus, there was no telling just how dangerous this other world truly was. She had been inside of a world that was quite similar, an illusion of a perfect life fitting solely within her mind. While she was off hallucinating, her life force was being sucked away from her in reality, and the thought that anything like that could be happening again was enough to inspire her to move past this stupid, petty drama.</p><p>But was it all <em>that</em> petty? No matter what bizarre revelation about their relationship or their reappearing patterns came her way, she hadn't forgotten about their argument. While circumstances had temporarily mended their grievances, Rapunzel knew that the moment they were safe, all of those pesky, dangerous emotions would come roaring back. She wanted to live, but she also wanted to make sure Cass was taking care of herself. There were a lot of broken parts within that woman's psyche, and in order to fix them, she needed to know what was wrong. Eugene's specific words came back to her: Cassandra <em>confessed her feelings</em> to her. The obvious implication of that was those feelings had been brewing for a long time before they were let free. All of those unrequited emotions being forced beneath the surface wouldn't be healthy. It could easily cause <em>something</em>.</p><p>But that was preposterous. Dumb. Very dumb. Cassandra wasn't in love with her. That…that would be <em>nuts</em>. Everything she understood about their relationship would basically be flipped on its head; all of those affectionate hugs and gestures suddenly given a whole new, kind of uncomfortable meaning.</p><p>Not uncomfortable <em>because </em>it was Cass. Of course not! She was always comfortable around Cass. Always, always…always always always. It wasn't even a royalty thing, or a commitment thing, or hell, even a woman thing. It would just be kind of <em>extremely shocking</em> that Cassandra would think of her like that. Like, they were friends! Best friends! Sisters, even—</p><p>Rapunzel's eyes went wide. Sisters. Cass hated that term. That…that would actually explain <em>a lot</em>.</p><p>"And how the hell do I still have this?" Cassandra said, pulling at strands of her bright blue hair. She reached toward her chest to pluck the Moonstone away from her, but much to her surprise, she couldn't find it anywhere on her body. Had it fused within her like the Sundrop fused inside Rapunzel? "We need to get out of here as fast as possible."</p><p>"Hold on…just hold on for a second, Cass," Rapunzel said, taking a deep breath. She slowly rose up to her feet, and after a level of mental preparation that she never thought she would need, she let herself look at Cassandra. She tried her hardest not to match her gaze, but to study her expressions and see if there was anything about her true feelings. Cassandra certainly seemed frazzled, hectic, and angry to the point where Rapunzel swore she could see the gears turning in her head. Was that the anxious temper of a person who was <em>only </em>worried about her friend's safety?</p><p>"We don't have time to hold on. You're cursed. You just had another incident. The next one could happen any second now." Cassandra's points were crisp, but Rapunzel remained steady and tried her best to ignore the glistening ring on Cass's finger.</p><p>"I don't think we have to worry about that," Rapunzel explained. "See how I don't have any scars? I think crossing beyond the Void and switching bodies repressed it somehow."</p><p>Cassandra was undeterred. "How would that even work? How are our memories intact but the curse isn't?"</p><p>"I don't know," Rapunzel admitted. "I really don't have any idea what's happening. But think about it. I said the curse over a year ago, but it took until just now for it to materialize. It was something that Adira was getting at when she first explained it to me. Maybe the Sundrop's power is able to nullify the curse, or at least delay it. Or maybe in this world, I never said the Decay Incantation at all. Whatever the case is, I'm fine for right now, so maybe we can actually sit down and talk all of this through."</p><p>Cassandra bristled at the suggestion. She felt like shit for even feeling mad about this. She should have been elated. Delaying Rapunzel's curse? It was a godsend, literally everything that she had asked for, and all she could think about was how uncomfortable she was. She hated the fact that Rapunzel was even <em>looking </em>at her. She could only imagine what mental gymnastics the Princess was going through in order to justify this. It was honestly pathetic that she even cared about this, but ever since that day…</p><p>"I still think that we should focus on getting out of here as soon as possible," Cassandra said sternly, casting off her gaze.</p><p>"And we will," Rapunzel insisted. "I want to get home, too. I'm just saying that we might have a moment to breathe. As long as we have the time—"</p><p>"Oh, for the love of…"</p><p>"I really, think it'd be good—"</p><p>Cassandra rolled her eyes, and Rapunzel stopped herself before she could finish. Despite Cassandra risking her life to save her, nothing had changed since their argument. She was still unreachable. Until Rapunzel figured out a way to break through to her, there was no point in pushing her. The last thing they needed was to fight each other now.</p><p>"All…all right, then," Rapunzel said softly. "Let's try to find our way out of here."</p><p>"Thank you," Cassandra said with a sigh. "How do you propose we do that?"</p><p>"I'm really not sure," Rapunzel admitted. "We're in another world, right? Maybe we could try to find this version of Delilah and have her help us?"</p><p>"I doubt she'd care even if we found her," Cassandra said bluntly. "I think we're going to have to think a little outside the box here."</p><p>Rapunzel knew she was right, though it wasn't entirely helpful. They were going to have to get very creative. They had been on so many adventures over the years and made so many different friends. Surely one of them had to be useful. She clenched her jaw and nodded with determination.</p><p>"All…all right, then," Rapunzel said softly. "Let's try to find our way out of here."</p><p>"Thank you," Cassandra said with a sigh. "How do you propose we do that?"</p><p>"I'm really not sure," Rapunzel admitted. "We're in another world, right? Maybe we could try to find this version of Delilah and have her help us?"</p><p>"I doubt she'd care even if we found her," Cassandra said bluntly. "I think we're going to have to think a little outside the box here."</p><p>Rapunzel knew she was right, though it wasn't entirely helpful. They were going to have to get very creative. They had been on so many adventures over the years and made so many different friends. Surely one of them had to be useful. She clenched her jaw and nodded with determination.</p><p>one of them had to be useful. She clenched her jaw and nodded with determination.</p><p>"All…all right, then," Rapunzel said softly. "Let's try to find our way out of here."</p><p>"Thank you," Cassandra said with a sigh. "How do you propose we do that?"</p><p>"I'm really not sure," Rapunzel admitted. "We're in another world, right? Maybe we could try to find this version of Delilah and have her help us?"</p><p>"I doubt she'd care even if we found her," Cassandra said bluntly. "I think we're going to have to think a little outside the box here."</p><p>Rapunzel knew she was right, though it wasn't entirely helpful. They were going to have to get very creative. They had been on so many adventures over the years and made so many different friends. Surely one of them had to be useful. She clenched her jaw and nodded with determination.</p><p>"All…all right, then," Rapunzel said softly. "Let's try to…"</p><p>She immediately stopped and checked over herself, making sure she wasn't imagining things. Cassandra perked up, finally managing to look at Rapunzel for the first time since they learned of their strange circumstances. Even her embarrassment could no longer stand up to her curiosity.</p><p>"Okay, you felt that, right?" Rapunzel said nervously.</p><p>"That time just looped back on itself? Yes," Cassandra noted.</p><p>"Any chance that we were just hallucinating it?"</p><p>"Probably not."</p><p>"So this is bad."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Rapunzel took another deep breath. Time repeating, distorting, stretching—she thought she had felt it earlier when they were descending through the Void. That made some degree of sense to her, or at least as much sense as everything else made right now. They had crossed a boundary across all of time, breaking through intra-dimensional barriers like crashing through a window. It was bound to have some sort of lasting, physiological impact on them. Though if they were outside the Void and in this alternate world, why were those distortions still happening to her? She pouted as she considered the consequences. In all likelihood, the Void had done something to them as they moved through it, or their presence in this alternate reality was causing such distortions, or some other third thing had happened from the same cause. There were so many delightful options for why the laws of physics and time kept violating themselves around her. In any case, her hope for a small break from her miserable week seemed to be dashed. She was out of one ailment and directly forced into another, only this time Cassandra got to share some of her problems with her. At least suffering was better with company, and of all the people to suffer with, she wasn't sure if there was anyone she would rather have by her side than, well…</p><p>Her <em>wife</em>.</p><p>"Okay," Rapunzel said carefully. "Here's what we do. We—"</p><p>There was a sudden, feverish knock on the door. From beyond the wood, they heard Eugene's voice not so gently calling to them</p><p>"Uh, ladies," he said awkwardly. "Is everything all right in there? Because you sort of slammed the door in my face and haven't really said anything to me since."</p><p>Rapunzel's cheeks flushed in shame. That was, admittedly, exactly what happened. Eugene said, <em>"Happy Learning How to Share Rapunzel with Cassandra Day!"</em>, and then she panicked, and then she broke free of his grasp, and then she asked to be excused with Cassandra for a moment, and then she slammed the door on him, and then she and Cass sat on opposite sides of the bed and said nothing for around six to seven years. It wasn't the type of treatment she would usually give Eugene, but in absolute fairness, he wasn't technically her Eugene, and she also had <em>a lot </em>on her plate right now.</p><p>Despite Cassandra's silent pleas to exclude him, Rapunzel was compelled to head toward the door and meet face-to-face with her husband, who seemed to be reasonably concerned about her strange shifts in behavior. Pascal sat on his shoulder, and Eugene was worried so much about Rapunzel that he couldn't even be bothered to flick the little frog off him. Rapunzel boldly smiled and leaned against the door frame, making sure that she sounded <em>extra </em>completely totally fine.</p><p>"Hey, Eugene!" she said far too happily. "Don't worry! Everything is okay in here and there is nothing at all you need to be worried about."</p><p>Eugene exchanged glances with Pascal. Rapunzel waited for his response, staring blankly at him. He placed his hand to his chin in thought.</p><p>"Yeah, so," he said casually, "that might be the <em>least</em> convincing way you could have phrased that."</p><p>"W-What? Psssh, <em>no</em>," Rapunzel said with a laugh. "It's <em>fine</em>. There are just some…some <em>things</em> that you and I need to talk about. Some very <em>important</em> things."</p><p>Eugene only grew more suspicious, crossing his arms and cocking his hips in a way that tore straight through Rapunzel's pathetic attempt at excuses.</p><p>"See, now that seems to contradict what you said earlier about this not being something I should worry about."</p><p>Rapunzel cursed internally. That wasn't a contradiction at all! Or at least, kind of. It wasn't something he should be worried about. They were probably fine. They were simply possessing the bodies of their alternate universe selves and acting out their lives for them. That was fine <em>and </em>important! It could be both. It was just incredibly difficult to come out and say that. It was the kind of thing a person needed to be sat down for, and while she hated to outright say it or dare admit it to herself, speaking to Eugene did seem much harder given her current proxy-relationship with Cassandra. She had no idea how to approach him, which may have been the first time in her life she felt so distanced from Eugene. She had to calm herself down. It was normal. Act normal. Just tell him what was happening. Simple as that.</p><p>"Well, the truth is—"</p><p>The words barely escaped her before Cassandra suddenly appeared behind her, wrapping her arm unexpectedly around Rapunzel's shoulder and pulling her in close.</p><p>"We're getting you a surprise present!" Cassandra shouted.</p><p>"W-What?" Rapunzel asked, taken aback. Eugene seemed shocked as well.</p><p>"A surprise present?"</p><p>"I mean, o-of course," Cassandra said casually. "Raps and I were just talking about how great you've been this past year. It couldn't have been easy for you to accept me. So, to show our appreciation, we're getting you a gift. We stayed up all last night working on it, so we're really tired. Isn't that right, Raps?"</p><p>Rapunzel shot Cassandra a quick <em>what-in-the-actual-hell-are-you-doing-right-now </em>glare, but with Eugene standing right in front of them, his eyes beginning to glimmer with excitement at the prospect of earning a present for his good behavior, she realized that she was trapped. She forced herself to smile harder, and though it was incredibly awkward, she pulled in Cass closed by the hip and rested their heads together.</p><p>"Yep…that's right," Rapunzel said with a dramatic sigh. "Sorry to spoil the surprise, Eugene. We were going to give it to you tonight—"</p><p>Whatever extravagant series of lies Rapunzel was about to tell her husband, they suddenly became irrelevant. Eugene held up his palm, and became quite studious as if he was distinguishing himself with some great honor upon hearing his wife's plans for their evening.</p><p>"Say no more," he said boldly. "I will erase my mind of this incident entirely. Please go about your planning as if I was not involved. Come on, Frog."</p><p>Pascal looked up at Eugene in shock. Surely, the human wasn't falling for such an obvious lie just because it placated his ego. Pascal was sure that he would realize at any moment that the women were lying to him and they would be able to uncover the true reason why they were acting so peculiarly. Unfortunately, Pascal's faith in humanity was once again damaged as Eugene happily sauntered off with the small lizard still trapped on his shoulder, blissfully unaware that he wasn't going to be receiving any kind of present that night. Rapunzel watched him leave with a small amount of relief but an even larger amount of disappointment. She loved Eugene. She really, really loved him.</p><p>Sometimes, his overconfidence hurt her.</p><p>And then there was that other weird feeling boiling up inside her, the one that only seemed to grow and burble the longer Cassandra's arms were wrapped around her. Rapunzel groaned and removed Cassandra's hand by force, getting some much-needed space between the two of them as she scolded her friend for her foolishness.</p><p>"What are you doing?"</p><p>"Stopping you from blabbing everything, that's what," Cassandra said firmly. She seemed to hesitate before crossing her arms, almost afraid of the memory of Rapunzel's touch on her skin.</p><p>"We need to tell Eugene what's happening," Rapunzel insisted. "He could help us."</p><p>"First of all: no he can't," Cassandra said with a shrug. "Second, how do you want to explain it to him? <em>'Hey, hubby! Sorry to break this to you, but I'm actually a version of your wife from an alternate dimension merely possessing your loved one's skin like a ragdoll.'</em> And third of all, we are in another world right now. Who knows what else is different over here? Maybe it's not the best idea to go telling everyone the truth until we make sure that it's completely safe."</p><p>"We can trust Eugene," Rapunzel replied.</p><p>"No, we can trust <em>our </em>Eugene," Cass shot back. "That is a completely different person. I mean, really think about it. Eugene might love you, but do you think that the man you've known for years would ever—and I mean, <em>ever</em>—be willing to take part in a three-way relationship…where <em>I'm</em> the third person?"</p><p>Rapunzel's fury dwindled. That…that was actually a good point. Or, like, the semblance of a good point. She had only been in this world for a few minutes. She hadn't even left the castle walls. Sure, it looked the same, felt the same, even smelled the same—but it wasn't. She was in a world where Cassandra had never lost the Moonstone, where she was able to fall in love with her former handmaiden, and where Eugene was able to look at Cassandra and openly give away the love of his life to her. That was, admittedly, very strange. There could be far many more twists and turns coming her way, and perhaps Cassandra wasn't entirely wrong to keep their circumstances a secret. Of course, Rapunzel suspected that there may have been another reason why Cassandra would want Eugene specifically to stay out of their business. He would be the one person who would have known the most about their relationship. Maybe…</p><p>No. Not, she needed to stop dwelling on this. It was actually embarrassing. Their "marriage" wasn't anything, and even if it was, there were other things she needed to be concerned about. She was still technically cursed and a whole other universe away from home. Fixing those were her top two priorities. Once those were done, she could try to fix whatever she accidentally broke with Cassandra. As long as Cassandra was able to hold herself together until then, she would be fine. Then they could worry about these literal otherworldly feelings.</p><p>Because that was the only reason Rapunzel was thinking about this: fixing their friendship. Yes. The only reason.</p><p>Just that.</p><p>"Fine," Rapunzel finally agreed. "We'll keep a low profile for now. But if I learn it's safe to tell Eugene the truth, I'm going to do that."</p><p>Cassandra smiled. She wasn't expecting anything less. She just hoped that Rapunzel didn't notice her hand slowly balling into a fist by her waist, the gaudy ring digging into her palm.</p><p>"Whatever makes you happy."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. A Distinct Lack of Clarity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eugene awakens. Cassandra plans her next steps in a strange new world.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry about the wait. Been real busy finishing up some other projects. Hopefully, we can get those done and put more of our effort into this story. Enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The news hit Eugene hard.</p><p>The last thing he remembered was comforting Rapunzel. She was in so much pain, and he had been trying to make her smile. He succeeded, hadn't he? He could have sworn that he saw her smile. He was helping her to write something, and then…</p><p>A darkness.</p><p>Searing agony.</p><p>Then, nothing.</p><p>The next thing he knew, he was waking up in a bed somewhere in the basement of the castle, head spinning, mouth parched, and his arm—God, his arm was on fire. He couldn't remember the last time he felt something so awful. His skin was numb, and yet, it was like his muscles were trying to explode from the inside out. He was thankful that someone had the common sense to wrap it before he tried to move it. He couldn't imagine how much of a terrible decision that would have been.</p><p>When he came to, he saw Rapunzel's parents watching over him. They seemed horrified at his condition, but despite their concern and his pain, all he could think of was one thing.</p><p>"Where's Rapunzel?"</p><p>He didn't realize at the time just how serious of a question that was. He wasn't sure what became of Pascal; the little lizard was next to him when Rapunzel…<em>attacked</em> them. He hated thinking of it like that. An attack? Rapunzel would never hurt them. She was the kindest woman he knew. It wasn't her fault, or at least, he didn't think it was. That damned incantation was at fault. How had it even come back? She had no powers. No Sundrop. No Moonstone. She was normal now. They were supposed to be leading a simpler life, free from constant adventures and demons and struggles. What on earth had gone wrong?</p><p>Fortunately, once he had gained some sense of consciousness, his step-parents were there by his bedside to explain everything. Pascal was in a smaller, makeshift bed nearby, resting and growing stronger by the hour but still too weak for comfort. They explained how Adira had come to Corona after he had been knocked out and warned them about some curse that had taken hold of Rapunzel. His heart sank when he heard that she…she was going to <em>die</em> from the Incantation. He couldn't even comprehend it. She was so young, full of life and energy every single day. The sheer thought of her withering away, sick and wheezing and in pain, seemed like some inherent contradiction of nature. Rapunzel was to happiness as the ocean was to water. Anything that broke her down into her current state couldn't come from their reality.</p><p>And then there was the really strange part—the thing that made him nearly jump out of bed in shock before Arianna had to hold him down.</p><p>"Rapunzel was kidnapped by <em>Cassandra</em>?" he gasped.</p><p>"Please, stay seated," Queen Arianna gently asked of him. He was restless but had enough self-restraint to follow her commands. King Frederic bowed his head, overridden with guilt at letting such a horrible thing happen under his watch.</p><p>"I'm still not sure how they were able to escape. Adira was supposed to be watching over her," he explained somberly.</p><p>"Wait, wait, wait," Eugene said hurriedly. "You're absolutely sure that Cassandra was the one who took her?"</p><p>"Adira found her sword," Frederic told him plainly. "I trust her judgment on this matter."</p><p>"So, just making sure I understand this fully," Eugene said, "Rapunzel broke out of the castle and somehow managed to meet up with Cassandra so they could run off to a foreign country and cure her magical destruction whatsit powers?"</p><p>King Frederic awkwardly cleared his throat. "That's a very simplistic version of events, but yes. We sent Adira after them. Hopefully, she'll be able to bring them home soon."</p><p>Eugene remained silent as he took it all in. It was hard enough to accept Rapunzel's curse, but that she had also run away from home? That Adira was hunting them down like some criminal on the run? And Cassandra…what was she even doing back in Corona? She was supposed to be off finding her destiny. It had only been a few months. Had something gone wrong, or had the news of Rapunzel's condition spread so quickly across the condition that she returned to be by her side. It raised too many questions.</p><p>"Your Highness—Dad—Sir…" he struggled to say. "I'm not sure how to put this, but do you really think that's the best idea?"</p><p>Arianna notably tensed up in worry, but Frederic maintained his composure.</p><p>"I will do whatever I can to make sure my daughter is safe," he claimed. "Surely, you would do the same."</p><p>"I get that, but," Eugene protested, "I honestly think she's safer with Cassandra than she is with Adira."</p><p>That was the wrong thing to say.</p><p>"You would trust that traitor to care for Rapunzel better than Adira, or even anyone in this castle?" Frederic asked, furrowing his brow.</p><p>Eugene scratched the back of his head. "Well, I don't know if she would be any better off here. She should probably go where the actual <em>cure </em>is, shouldn't she?"</p><p>"She is sick and dying."</p><p>"And that's true if she's here or there, so why not have her be there?"</p><p>"Because it's dangerous."</p><p>"Which is why it's good that Cassandra is there to help her," Eugene explained. "Listen, Cassandra and I get along about as well as a snake and a mongoose, but she's a good friend and a good fighter. She and Rapunzel get along well, and I'd much rather have those two looking out for each other than Adira just doing whatever she thinks is best. That woman is terrifying."</p><p>Arianna nervously clasped her hands together. "Will you two please stop arguing? We shouldn't be making this harder than it already is for all of us."</p><p>Her plea went unanswered. "I don't care how she acts," Frederic said growled. "This isn't about making Rapunzel <em>feel better</em>. We're talking about saving her life. She should not be traveling when she is this weak."</p><p>"And yet, she already is," Eugene pointed out. "So, why not let her travel with someone she knows and will help her rather than a person who is actively trying to force her to do something she doesn't want to do."</p><p>"I can't believe this," King Frederic scoffed. "She is your <em>wife</em>. I let you marry her because you swore a vow to protect her—"</p><p>"And I also swore a vow to <em>honor </em>her," Eugene reminded him. "And part of that means respecting her decisions. If Rapunzel is out there, it's because she wanted to leave. She knew the risks and she decided to do it anyway, and if she truly wants to be out there with Cassandra trying to fix this, then the least I can do is support her. In fact, I should be out there right now helping her—"</p><p>Eugene tried to stand, but the instant he rose to his feet he was hit with a sudden spell of dizziness and searing pain. Arianna gently lowered him back to the bed while Frederic tiredly rested his face into his palms. On some level, he knew Eugene was right. He and Arianna both. Though the context was different, keeping Rapunzel locked up in the castle was the same thing that he swore he wouldn't do before. Her condition gave him more justification, but at the end of the day, he was violating his daughter's dying wishes. It was honestly so hard to come to the right decision, and with his son-in-law and his wife whittling away at his confidence, he didn't know which way to turn. The worst part was knowing that it was out of his hands. Adira had already been sent out, and when or whether she would return was merely a matter of waiting. Until then, he simply had to pray that his daughter was safe wherever she may be and hope that Cassandra was the guardian angel that Eugene truly thought she could be.</p><hr/><p>Cassandra had a lot on her mind. Too many things. Constant, uninterrupted thoughts ricocheted off the inside of her head and made it impossible to focus on anything. She walked down the hallways of the lower parts of the castle—her old stomping ground, so to speak—and every footstep seemed to trigger a new, contradictory idea. She should have been feeling nostalgic. The last time she was in those corridors, she was preparing to leave and find her own destiny. She had barely stayed for a few days, and even then, she hardly did much. She didn't feel comfortable leaving her room, the staff gave her weird glares, and she was far too focused on her goals to let herself relax. Before then, she hadn't really been in the castle since she left to help Rapunzel find the Moonstone. Just walking those hallways again should have made her long for simpler times. Or long <em>harder</em>, she supposed. But she could hardly even focus on the fact that she was back home. She had no way of even comprehending that this was her life right now.</p><p>Her hand felt fine. That was weird. It hadn't felt fine in a year and a half. It hadn't felt like anything in a year and a half. When she burned her hand, the nerves on her skin had been so severely damaged that she had gone totally numb. The only times she felt anything was when she moved it too much or held anything, which made sword fighting a bitch. The pain from clenching her hand was something she wasn't ever sure she got used to. But now, she felt normal—and she was pretty sure she hated it. She never realized just how much she was constantly <em>feeling</em> things. The air brushing against her knuckles. The skin braising between her fingers. Her fingernails—God, she had <em>fingernails </em>again. When she touched Rapunzel during the Incantation, the flames had singed off everything in their path, nails included. She had gotten so numb that she hadn't noticed the difference. What was one inch of burned skin compared to another? But seeing her hand restored made her feel uneasy, even before getting to the ring that adorned it.</p><p>Married to Rapunzel…she was actually married to Rapunzel.</p><p>It was…</p><p>So, the Moonstone. The Moonstone was back. Or more accurately, it had never left her. That opened up a series of questions, didn't it? Why was she back at Corona if she had the Moonstone? The only reason she had stolen the magical artifact in the first place was that she had been corrupted by Zhan Tiri. No, wait. That wasn't fair. She had stolen the Moonstone because of her own envy. There was no point in hiding it to herself. She had to accept that and move on. Why she had her powers back wasn't really important save for making herself feel worse. She had the powers of the Moonstone in this world. Okay. Good. She had to figure out a way to use them, assuming that she even wanted to. It was a stupid thought, but there was some part of her that feared she would lose control of herself. The power itself wasn't corrupting anymore than the Sundrop's power was inherently good, and yet she knew that that pursuit of power could bring out of her. She had sworn that she had buried all of her demons, but like all addictions, there was the possibility of relapse. The sad truth was that she only fully realized she was wrong when the power was stolen from her, and she had never been faced with that kind of temptation since. If she was faced with the opportunity to pursue that power again, could she really be sure that she would refuse? Rapunzel would have told her that she was being ridiculous. <em>You're better now</em>, she would say. <em>Have some faith</em>. That woman was always too optimistic for her own good.</p><p>And somehow, in this universe, she had agreed to marry someone as stupid and violent and cynical as herself. How in the world could she ever be so lucky…</p><p>Stop. Stop it. Of all the things to be worrying about, was this <em>really </em>important? No. No, it wasn't. Who gave a shit about her dumb love life? Rapunzel was cursed and <em>dying</em>, and here she was having a stupid fucking panic attack over this weird alternate reality where nothing even mattered. It was actively embarrassing that she couldn't focus on the mission ahead of her. There was a curse she needed to undo and a reality she needed to return to. Staying in this realm wasn't an option. It may have seemed to be safe, but who knew what kind of damage was happening underneath the surface. Curses of any kind were nothing to trifle with. She needed to escape this world. That was her first and only priority. Nothing else mattered.</p><p>Wait, if she and Rapunzel had gotten married, didn't that mean at some point they had—</p><p>Cassandra growled and smacked herself in the forehead. She was so goddamn pathetic. She was a grown-ass woman and yet she was obsessing over this like some fucking teenager. She didn't get it. It didn't use to be this bad. She had controlled it for years and controlled it well. She had so successfully quelled her impulses that for a time she had even convinced herself that they didn't exist. How else would she willing to through a bunch of black spikes toward Rapunzel's head? That definitely wasn't out of love. But ever since that day when Rapunzel forgave her—that day when she <em>died</em>—denying herself wasn't even an option anymore. Hiding it was even worse. She was sputtering so badly during their last conversation and had turned so red that if Rapunzel wasn't suspicious of her it would be a miracle. Suspicious…that was a stupid word. It implied she was feeling something wrong. Or harmful. It certainly wasn't that, at least not to anyone but herself.</p><p>Dammit. Focus. She needed to focus on her mission. That was easier said than done; she had no idea what she was even supposed to do. She said that they should split up and search for a way to get back to their normal world, but how the hell were they supposed to do that anyway? It wasn't exactly like they hopped realities very often, and they had done <em>a lot </em>of weird things over the years. How were they supposed to get back? She had a few possible ideas, but all of them seemed to stop short of a fundamental plan. Varian once opened a portal to trap Zhan Tiri. Would that portal even exist in a world where she hadn't helped Zhan Tiri? Wait, did she help Zhan Tiri? Was Varian still here? Would that portal even work transport them back to their reality, or did it only bring them to that <em>other</em> alternate dimension that was that weird surrealist nightmare? Maybe they could hire the Psychopomp from this dimension—assuming she wasn't dead. And had the portal to transport them. And didn't want to kill them also. Maybe they could…they could…</p><p>She hadn't slept in so long. She had lost count of the days. Four, was it? Four days? She had been lumbering along due to a toxic combination of adrenaline and anxiety that she foolishly called her will. There was no point in planning anything if she couldn't sleep—and she couldn't let herself sleep until she planned something. So, what was she to do? Well, her feet seemed to find the answer before her. A few dim corridors later, and she found herself staring at the door of the wine cellar, not even realizing how she got there. Subconscious desires were powerful, she supposed. It would be a really bad idea to start drinking right now. Rapunzel needed her at her sharpest. Then again, if she wasn't doing much anyway, would this really be any worse. Maybe it'd give her some clarity or something.</p><p>And hell, she <em>really </em>wanted to get drunk right now.</p><p>Cassandra pushed open the door to the wine cellar, hoping that she could find something that the family wouldn't necessarily miss. However, once the door creaked open and the light from the hallway flooded in, she found something else: two rebellious children standing on each other's shoulders, the angry one holding a half-full sack in her hands, and the one with bright red hair reaching toward a bottle that matched its color. They both froze in the light of the door, and they looked at Cassandra with a wide-eyed innocence that was matched only by their collective fear.</p><p>Cassandra just squinted at them.</p><p>"Hi, girls. Doing something?"</p><p>Angry and Catalina quickly exchanged glances, using their intricate knowledge of each other's thoughts to formulate an explanation that they would both agree upon. They answered almost simultaneously.</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Not really."</p><p>Cassandra looked down at the sack. There were probably around twenty bottles in there. She quickly glanced down the hallway. No guards. The kids knew their patrol routes well. She doubted they were in there for very long, and yet their stash was impressive. She had heard from Rapunzel that those kids had moved in with Lance after Zhan Tiri was defeated, and she was glad to see that the royal life hadn't changed them. At least, not completely.</p><p>She crossed her arms, hoping to scare them somewhat. "What'chu got there?"</p><p>Angry looked at the sack at her feet.</p><p>"Got where?"</p><p>"Right there."</p><p>"Not wine."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"Then why are you in the wine cellar at nine in the morning?"</p><p>Angry and Catalina looked at each other. Catalina glared right back at her.</p><p>"Why are <em>you </em>in the wine cellar at nine in the morning?"</p><p>That was a very good question that Cassandra did not have a very good answer for. So, instead of giving them a response, she checked once again to see if any guards were coming and sauntered into the cellar, closing the door behind her. The fact that the children had managed to navigate the cellar in darkness was impressive, but Cassandra's blue hair managed to illuminate the area around them enough that they couldn't sneak away. Not that they would need to; despite their worst fears, Cassandra merely snatched the bottle that they were attempting to grab and uncorked it herself, tipping her head to them out of a show of respect for their skill.</p><p>"How about this? We both agree to keep quiet on this and go our separate ways."</p><p>She seated herself against the wall of bottles, pulled out the cork, and eagerly pressed her prize to her lips. Angry and Catalina looked at her like they were seeing a ghost. Cassandra? Letting them get away with illicit activities? <em>Cassandra</em>? Not that any of the adults would let them off the hook, but rule-toting, stick-up-her-butt Cassandra, Miss Honor and Integrity Above All Else, the woman who would eye them suspiciously for taking an extra stone from the buffet line—<em>that</em> woman was drinking at nine in the morning and basically giving them the go-ahead to steal as much alcohol as they could for their own purposes? There were two explanations for why Cassandra had suddenly morphed into the coolest woman on earth. The first was that they weren't looking at Cassandra, but a completely different woman wearing a Cassandra suit for nefarious deeds. The second was that she had spent a <em>very </em>good night with Rapunzel. Either way, they weren't going to miss taking advantage of it. Angry lowered Catalina off her shoulders, and together the pair hesitantly approached the newly awesome Cassandra, who was about halfway through the bottle of wine by the time they took the few steps needed to approach her.</p><p>"So…that's a lot of wine you're drinking," Catalina said cautiously. Cassandra pulled the bottle away with a sigh and wiped her mouth clean.</p><p>"Yeah, well," Cassandra said bluntly, "I've had a really bad week."</p><p>Angry placed her hands on her hips. "You mean getting ready for Learning How to Share Rapunzel with Cassandra Day?"</p><p>Cassandra thought back on the three separate times that she had almost been murdered but just scowled instead of sharing the truth. "How do you kids know that?"</p><p>"It's basically a national holiday, isn't it?" Catalina stated.</p><p>"Is it now?" Cassandra said wistfully, swishing the remaining wine around the bottle. "This is what, the first anniversary? Crazy to think about it."</p><p>"You can say that again," Angry grunted. "I will never understand romance."</p><p>"Ditto."</p><p>"I think it's sweet," Catalina said with a small smile. "I'm glad that you all managed to get along."</p><p>Angry rolled her eyes. "I mean, I <em>guess </em>it's better than you trying to destroy the world. Still weird, though."</p><p>Cassandra snickered. So, she partnered with Zhan Tiri in this reality, too. Fascinating. She assumed that would have been impossible. In the Void, Rapunzel made her feelings about the betrayal very clear. It hit her hard—and how couldn't it? One moment, she was about to fulfill her destiny, and the next, the person she decided to trust with her life steals everything from her and endangers the whole world. Rapunzel being willing to forgive her at all was a miracle, but apparently, she was willing to go further than that. Love blossoming even through the cruelest of circumstances. It sounded like a poem but cheesier. It begged a fascinating question: Just what <em>would </em>have needed to happen for her to win Rapunzel over? The answer was simpler than it seemed—and then she took another swig from the wine bottle.</p><p>"Hey, kids…let me ask you something?" Cassandra mumbled. "You wouldn't know of any portals that exist which can transport people to a different universe, would you?"</p><p>Catalina shook her head. "I don't think you can get out of giving Eugene a present that easily."</p><p>Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose. "Figured as much."</p><p>"What are you going to get him anyway?" Angry asked. "A big mirror? Chocolates? Are you and Rapunzel going to do…unsavory adult things?"</p><p>"Ha! He wishes," Cassandra mused. "I'm sure Rapunzel's got that figured out. I've got enough on my plate as it is."</p><p>"I'm sorry to hear that," Catalina said softly. "Is there anything we can help you with?"</p><p>It was hard for Cassandra to tell how much of the girls' generosity stemmed from genuine compassion or a desire to keep thieving without consequence. She didn't know much about the girls; by the time they decided to come live with the others, she was off on her own. They were pretty much just as much of an enigma as they were the first day she met them. Then again, they weren't <em>her </em>Angry and Catalina anyway. These two girls seemed a little <em>less </em>reformed than she had heard about. She supposed that the consequences didn't matter all that much.</p><p>"Let me ask you something," Cassandra said quietly. "You two probably know a lot about what goes on in this Kingdom, right?"</p><p>The two young girls exchanged knowing glances and firmly shook their heads.</p><p>"We're just two kids," Angry said defensively. "How are we supposed to know anything?"</p><p>Cassandra shrugged. "There's a hundred-year-old champagne bottle hidden behind a barrel on that third shelf over there."</p><p>One more exchanged glance and nodded head later, and Catalina had sprinted off into the darkness while Angry smirked proudly.</p><p>"You want gossip? You'll get gossip. What do you want to know?"</p><p>Cassandra downed the rest of the bottle of wine and planted the empty glass next to her. The effects of the drink were already working their wonders. She cackled to herself as she leaned back and rested her head against the wine rack.</p><p>"I want to know what Rapunzel has been saying about me behind my back."</p><hr/><p>"Where are they?" Adira screamed, throwing Delilah to the ground. The Psychopomp landed face first in the river and picked herself up, dripping wet from the cold. Why the hell was it so cold at night? It was spring, wasn't it?</p><p>"They're dead, probably," Delilah stated. She didn't choose those words lightly. With all of the angry eyes focused on her—the two furious horses, the painted-faced warrior, and the bastard owl that circled her from overhead—she knew that any misstep would result in a very difficult fight. A fight that she could probably win, of course, but there was no need to test that.</p><p>Adira sneered. There were no other sounds in the valley save for the crackling of the Void gate behind them, and its vibrant light illuminated every inch of her furious sneer.</p><p>"You said that it was safe to go through that place," Adira said furiously. Her temper was almost never blown, but this was an exception. She had screwed up, and worse, someone other than herself was facing the consequences for it. That wasn't something she ever took lightly.</p><p>"No," Delilah countered, shivering ankle-deep in the calm river. "I specifically said it <em>wasn't </em>safe to go through there. That's why we were wearing the rope."</p><p>"You didn't say anything about the flying shapes of death," said Adira. "You didn't think to mention those?"</p><p>"I didn't think we'd be in there long enough!" Delilah shouted back. "Just be lucky you got out of the Void."</p><p>"Got out? I'm going to throw you back in."</p><p>"W-What?" Delilah yelled. "For what?"</p><p>"To rescue them," Adira said. "I made a promise to bring Rapunzel home safe, and I intend on keeping it."</p><p>"And I already told you that she's <em>dead</em>," Delilah said. "She didn't come out with us, and it's not safe for us to return to the Void until the Eraserheads have dissipated. If they didn't come through with us, they're not coming through at all. That's the way it works."</p><p>The glares grew more intense. She was pretty certain that the damned owl was thinking about which of her eyes to jam its claws into. Adira just approached her, steadily and slowly, and weighted with malice.</p><p>"You are going to want to think really carefully about that," Adira said pointedly. "Because if you killed the Princess, then I'm going to have to kill you. So, <em>think</em>…is there any way that they could have survived?"</p><p>Delilah rolled her eyes. "Look, I get your mad—"</p><p>"Answer it!" Adira snapped.</p><p>"There is only one exit out of the Void, and that's what we just came through!" Delilah claimed. "If the Eraserheads didn't get them, then the only other thing that could have happened is that they dropped into the Stomach, and if that happened, then—"</p><p>"The Stomach?" Adira asked, stopping in her tracks. "What stomach?"</p><p>"<em>The </em>Stomach," Delilah clarified, frustrated. "It's the place beneath that space we were just in. I guess they could have fallen in, but they'd be dead there anyway. Or at least, they will be soon enough."</p><p>Adira lingered on that word. Stomach…there was something so strange about that. The existence of the Void and the behavior of the Eraserheads within all seemed to scream something awful at her. Just where the hell had the assassin taken them?</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Normalcy Crashing Like A Wave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rapunzel tries to get used to her surroundings, but it's only a matter of time before the truth comes out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rapunzel's thoughts were a whirlwind.</p><p>At this point, it was starting to get ridiculous. How hard was it for a girl to cut her hair? The first time she cut her hair, she thought it was gone for good. The magic of the sunflower had left her. It was never coming back. She was finally moving on. And then, she poked a magic rock, and the hair came right back! Three years later, she cut her hair off again, and this time, she was certain it was gone. The Sundrop literally flew off into space. Space! What came back from space? She was finally going to start living her normal, brunette life.</p><p>Four months later, and here she was: blonde again.</p><p>That was the least of Rapunzel's concerns, but it was somewhat annoying. All she wanted was to start the next chapter in her life, but every time she tried, the universe had a phenomenal way of forcing her right back to where she started. The practical part of herself didn't mind. More challenges to overcome? Please. She was Rapunzel. She would do a somersault over those challenges and land in perfect form. But the more spiritual part of her—the more existentialist part, even—felt a compounding sense of dread. If the universe was really fighting this hard against her, then she had to face the possibility that it would never end. Something beyond her comprehension was actively trying to kill her, and that wasn't comforting. She would fight it as hard as she could. But one day, she would fail. That was crippling.</p><p>And then there was Cassandra.</p><p>Oh God, where to begin with Cassandra?</p><p>Rapunzel had to stop in her tracks. The sun was beating down on her head, and she wagged her toes on the warm stone in the town square. A few of the Kingdom's residents gave her warm smiles, noticing nothing out of the ordinary with their beloved Princess. She instinctively waved back at them, but she was far too consumed with her anxieties to be genuine about it. She was supposed to be on her way to see Xavier. If anyone knew about the Void and its intricacies, it would be the man who knew more legends and fables than anyone else in the Kingdom. But until she sorted out this Cassandra drama, she wouldn't be able to pay attention to anything he said.</p><p>Because her best friend <em>may or may not </em>have been in love with her. That was…</p><p><em>So weird</em>.</p><p>She said she would ignore it. That was their promise. They would ignore this stupid marriage thing and focus on escaping. That being said: was Cassandra ignoring this? She was almost certain that Cassandra was thinking the exact same things as she was. Hell, Cassandra was probably dealing with it worse, given how distressed she had been the past few days. It may have been a bad idea to split up. She trusted Cassandra not to do anything reckless but…being apart from her at all honestly just made her guilty, and not just being apart recently, either. She was slowly coming around to the idea that she never should have let Cassandra leave Corona at all. If these feelings were really lingering…</p><p>Which they weren't, of course. Because Cassandra wasn't in love with her. Seriously, what would ever give Rapunzel the indication that Cassandra had feelings for her? Rapunzel was a love expert. She could identify romantic attraction from a mile away. There was absolutely no way that she wouldn't notice something directly in front of her. Didn't Cass try to murder her a few times over? That wasn't very loving, was it? And they had spent a lot of time in intimate positions with one another. Like, Cass helped her bathe just yesterday. Surely getting naked and giving Cass a giant hug would have triggered any feelings to come up to the surface. She totally would have noticed Cassandra pining for her then, and she didn't, so Cass wasn't. Simple as that. The only—and she meant the <em>only</em>—way that it would have escaped her was if Cassandra had gotten incredibly good at suppressing it from her. She would have to take those strong emotions and bury them so deep that they would never have a chance of shining through. Doing something like that would obviously be brutal, and Cassandra wouldn't do that.</p><p>It wasn't like Cassandra was hiding <em>lots of things</em> from her, after all.</p><p>Rapunzel breathed out a heavy sigh. She had just stumbled right back into the problem that she had no solution for? How on earth do you solve a puzzle that doesn't want to be solved? If Cassandra would only <em>talk </em>to her about any of this…well, there was no time for wishful thinking. Rapunzel settled on the idea that Cassandra wasn't in love with her to ease her own thoughts and tried to move on to the task at hand. Eventually, Cassandra would come around and tell her everything.</p><p>Xavier's shop was just down the street. She could see him toiling away by his furnace, blissfully unaware of her struggles. She had no idea how much of a mess she looked like, but she straightened out her dress and tried to adjust her imperfect smile. One step after the other. Without the curse affecting her in this world, she could walk normally. After several days of nonstop fatigue, she took it as a small blessing that she was on the right track.</p><p>There was something eternally comforting about Xavier's shop, even in a strange place like her new, alternate world. A lot of that came from the elder blacksmith himself, but even the subtle smells and sounds of metal clanging and fire roaring made her feel at home. He was the living personification of a hug, the kind of person that she could always confide in no matter what happened. Cassandra told her to be careful about who she trusted—God, didn't that sound familiar—but if there was anyone she could rely upon in any universe, it would be Xavier. She couldn't even conceive of that man being evil. What would be the harm in asking?</p><p>When the blacksmith noticed her, he put down his tools and bowed his head respectfully. "Ah, Princess," he said warmly. "It's good to see you today. I wasn't expecting to see you until the feast tonight."</p><p>"Hello, Xavier," Rapunzel said, clasping her hands by her waist. "It's always great to talk to you. I feel like we haven't spoken in forever."</p><p>Xavier chuckled, resting his elbows upon his worktable. "Well, you <em>have</em> been busy lately. That reminds me. Happy Learning-to-Share-Rapunzel-With-Cassandra Day."</p><p>Rapunzel tried her best to hide how hard she was cringing. "Yes, it's…it's certainly <em>that </em>day. One year ago, Eugene…he learned to share me with Cassandra. Exactly…"</p><p>Xavier pursed his lips, looking upon the Princess with no small sense of concern. "Are you all right, Princess? You are looking a little unwell."</p><p>"Oh," Rapunzel said, trying to shake off her doubts. "Sorry. Today's just been a little overwhelming."</p><p>Xavier chuckled fondly. "Oh, I see. Love is quite the tempting mistress. When I was married, I remember that there were days where I could not concentrate on my work. My hands would be shaking all day as I waited to go home to her, and I would spend hours thinking of different ways that I could make her happy. As you could imagine, that made my life quite difficult as a blacksmith."</p><p>"Huh. I don't think you ever told me that you were married," Rapunzel noted.</p><p>"It was a long time ago," Xavier said, not wanting to dwell much on it. "I was a very different man than I am today. Anyway, as much I appreciate the idea that you simply came to check in on an old man, I suspect that there is something else on your mind."</p><p>Rapunzel chose her words very carefully. "Well, actually, there was something that I wanted to ask you about. I was doing a little bit of reading, and I came across this weird story that I couldn't find more information on. I know you're pretty much an expert on all kinds of myths and legends, so I thought that maybe you would know something."</p><p>Xavier nodded. "I will try my best to appease you, Princess. What would you like to know?"</p><p>She leaned over the worktable, gently tapping her fingers against the wooden surface. "Well, I was wondering if you knew anything about a place called…the Void."</p><p>Xavier's eyes lit up, and a sly smile crossed his face. "The Void? I haven't heard of that name in a long time. I don't know why someone as nice as you would want to know about an awful place like that?"</p><p>"But you have heard of it?" Rapunzel asked eagerly. Every time she had asked questions over the past few days, the answers always made things worse. Why was the Decay Incantation back? Life-threatening curse. Why was Cassandra upset? Depression and self-contempt. Who sent the assassin? The people she needed to save her life. Hopefully, these answers would be satisfying.</p><p>"Yes. The Void," Xavier said with a gentle smile. "You see, that place is asfjnad ays ibyde nc mehvnd. Hedafndf oajdscn euad. Does that answer your question?"</p><p>Rapunzel just stared at him, so shocked that the smile remained on her face even through her confusion. Xavier…he simply grinned at her, unaware of anything wrong.</p><p>"I'm sorry…could you repeat that?"</p><p>"Repeat what?"</p><p>"That, um…" Rapunzel said hesitantly. She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I must have just blanked out. Could you say that bit about the Void?"</p><p>Xavier shrugged. "Yes. The Void is a jadfhvnefc iuad mrjn asybr. Is that clearer?"</p><p>Two times in a row. Surely, it wouldn't happen a third?</p><p>"Xavier, can you help me for one moment?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Can you say that one more time?"</p><p>"I'm not understanding—"</p><p>"No, no. That sentence. That one before. Say it <em>one more time</em>."</p><p>"The part about the Void?"</p><p>"Yes. As clearly as you can."</p><p>Xavier was never one to disappoint a friend, and so he cleared his throat and spoke as openly and precisely as he could. "The Void is mcnf eybcasdb ugacisdhwq bafabvfs asdrvbh."</p><p>And that was pretty much what she thought he said.</p><hr/><p>Asking around the rest of the townspeople didn't serve much to help her. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary. Feldspar was manically working his shop. Attila's bakery radiated its sweet smells into the street. Monty was incredibly kind to everybody except her. When she returned to her castle, she didn't see anything unusual either. Old Lady Crowley was complaining about the staff not completing their laundry on time. Pete and Stan were arguing about growing out their hair into mullets. Friedborg was…there.</p><p>She found Max patrolling the halls. He met her with a bowed head and a happy whinny.</p><p>Lance was in the kitchen, watching the chefs working hard on their stews and roasts. "Just previewing the food for tonight," he explained to her with a blissful grin. "One must understand their enemy to defeat their enemy."</p><p>Varian was tinkering with the heater in the castle basement, so lost in his work that he almost didn't notice her. "Happy Cassandra Day," he said. "I'll make sure to come up for dinner. Probably. Maybe."</p><p>It was bothersome how absolutely normal it was. Almost too normal. Normal didn't help her escape the Void. Normal didn't explain why she had her magic hair again. Normal sure as hell didn't explain Cassandra, because once again for everybody in the back, <em>Cassandra wasn't supposed to be in love with her</em>. And most importantly, normal didn't explainnialxe t'ndid lamron ,yltnatropmi tsom dnA.</p><p>That. It didn't explain <em>that</em> either.</p><p>And all the while, she had to act normally. She didn't really get why she was keeping up the act. Nothing about her surroundings told her that she was in any danger. The only reason she could think of was that Cassandra asked her to, and violating her trust seemed like bad form. Unfortunately, the longer she had to pretend everything was fine, the higher the risk that someone would notice. The swirling chaos of the previous days' events would eventually bubble to the surface and reveal themselves if she wasn't careful, and it was only natural that her mask would slip within a matter of hours. The moment she realized how difficult maintaining her calm façade would be was during lunch. Eugene and her mother and father were all sat in the courtyard, eating what Arianna had described as "just a light meal", though it was probably enough food in and of itself to feed a small army. Rapunzel never realized just how many different types of cheeses and breads existed. No wine though. Strange.</p><p>The seat next to her seemed filled by shadow. So, Cassandra ate lunch with them often? Her parents were totally fine with their relationship, and she thought back to how her father had literally sent Adira after them back in their own world. He was hurt by Cassandra's betrayal just as badly as anyone, but he never quite got over the fact that she tried to harm his only daughter. And now, here he was, frowning over her absence. While this world's implications made her feel uncomfortable, she wouldn't mind borrowing some of its finer touches. Perhaps if Cass really saved her from this curse, she could finally get him to stop resenting her. Wishful thinking.</p><p>"It's not like Cassandra to be running late," Eugene noted, causing Rapunzel to immediately stiffen in suspense. "I mean, if I ever ran this late, she'd have my head."</p><p>"True," King Frederic agreed, stroking his fingers through his beard. "I haven't seen her all day. You would think that she would be more attentive than usual today."</p><p>Rapunzel awkwardly cleared her throat. "Oh, I'm sure she's just preparing something for tonight." Again, what was the point in covering for her? She didn't know where Cassandra had run off to, either. They had agreed to meet up at noon to discuss what they learned, but half an hour had passed and she wasn't anywhere to be found. Rapunzel only hoped she hadn't gotten herself into too much trouble.</p><p>"Are you all right, dear?" Arianna asked suddenly. "You haven't eaten anything."</p><p>"Huh? Oh, just saving room," Rapunzel said quickly. "Why waste my appetite on lunch when the feast is tonight, right?"</p><p>Eugene nervously glanced at his royal parents, and she saw the doubt slowly creeping over their faces. It was impossibly strange to describe living with an exact replica of her family that wasn't her own. Well, not <em>that </em>strange. In the past, one of Zhan Tiri's minions had trapped her in a fictional world within her own mind. That was sort of close to the dysphoria caused by seeing other people wearing her family's skin, but it didn't quite match the uncomfortableness. She was at least unaware of the differences before. Here, she had to constantly remind herself that this seemingly perfect world wasn't her own, that she was likely inhabiting the body of a completely different version of herself, stealing her experiences away from her; and worse, that the real Eugene wasn't sitting by her side, but was unconscious and severely wounded by her own cursed hands. Whenever this Eugene looked at her, she felt that anguish a thousand times over.</p><p>"Are you sure you are all right?" Eugene asked her, gently placing his hand upon hers—another reminder of everything she had done to him. She smiled bitterly and tried not to break.</p><p>"Yeah. There's just a lot on my mind right now," she said. Not a lie. Just an omission. Of course, it wasn't enough to get him off her back. Of all the times to be loving and supportive…</p><p>"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her.</p><p>Cassandra's words echoed in her mind. <em>Don't tell them anything. Keep quiet. Don't take risks</em>. That was their promise. Eugene was staring straight through her. God, she missed him. The real him. She hadn't been apart from him this long since they met. She missed the sound of his voice. The imposter's casual inquiry was enough to send goosebumps running down her arms.</p><p>"Cass and I had a fight last night."</p><p>And then that just came out of her, drawn out before she even realized it. They wouldn't talk about it. Promise.</p><p>"You two had a fight?"</p><p>"Yeah. One thing kind of led to another…"</p><p>But they <em>were </em>her family after all. What was the harm in just asking for some advice?</p><p>The mood shifted rapidly around the table, like a thick cloud had appeared over them despite the otherwise gorgeously clear sky. She had blurted out the words without even really thinking about them. Deceiving people was never one of her strong suits. Still, she broke down in what, ten seconds? Twenty? Cassandra would be disappointed in her if she ever found out. But she needed their guidance. Hell, she would have taken the guidance from anything that had a pulse at this point. It was maybe a weak justification, but she was utilizing it. Hopefully, Cassandra wouldn't get too mad at her later.</p><p>"What were you fighting about?"</p><p>Rapunzel hesitated. How to explain their argument without actually explaining it?</p><p>"Well," the Princess said carefully, "It's kind of hard to explain, really. We were fighting about…well, <em>everything</em>."</p><p>"You have to be a little more specific than that," Arianna said pointedly.</p><p>Did she though?</p><p>"I mean, we had both done things the other wasn't happy with," Rapunzel sighed. "I made some choices recently that forced her into doing something she may not have wanted to. Not <em>forced</em>, necessarily, but…she felt <em>compelled</em> to help me when that wasn't really the best for her. And there were also things that she did in the past that I…" Rapunzel grimaced, shaking her head. "Things I thought I had gotten over that…apparently I didn't."</p><p>More awkward glances were exchanged around the table. Rapunzel tried to keep her gaze focused on her toast. It made things less awkward not having to see their faces as they tried to decipher her comments.</p><p>Frederic cleared his throat, never one to skip on the opportunity to provide fatherly advice. "Have you tried talking with her today?"</p><p>"That's the problem," Rapunzel explained. "Every time I try to speak with her, she just seems to get madder at me. I think what she wants more than anything is a little space but…"</p><p>Rapunzel cut herself off before she let her mouth wander any further off track. Trying to explain any more would only lead to them being more confused. Still, it was enough for Eugene to intervene and try to right the wrongs himself.</p><p>"Is there anything else you can tell us? Maybe we can help?"</p><p>"I mean…I'd rather keep it between us girls," Rapunzel said clumsily. "I just feel like I need to tell somebody this. I don't really know what to do with her. I thought that after everything we've been through, she would learn to open up to me more. She'd be willing to listen. But she's still closed off and that…that worries me."</p><p>"Well, that sounds like typical Cassandra," he stated calmly, trying to rationalize her behavior with what little information his wife was giving him. "You know how nasty she can get when she isn't allowed to do things her own way."</p><p>Rapunzel nodded. "I know. It's just…I'm worried that her own way of dealing with this particular problem isn't healthy. It's very complicated."</p><p>"It probably isn't. Healthy, I mean. I'm sure it's very complicated," Eugene agreed. "But the reason Cassandra is here now with you is because you showed her that you were willing to respect her choices. If she's set on something, trying to force her into something else will only make her double down and start swearing at people. Maybe you just shouldn't get too involved."</p><p>Don't get involved? Terrible advice. Actually, literally terrible. It might have saved her the headache, but considering their circumstances, abandoning Cass entirely wasn't an option. But saying it out loud, with just a fraction of it being sensical, did help her clarify her problem. It was almost overwhelming having to deal with the new revelations about her curse, Cass's feelings, and her mental state, but zooming in on some generic feature provided answers. Cassandra was a stubborn woman. It was one of her best qualities. Once she set her mind to doing something, she was going to work as hard as she could until she finished it, no questions asked. She wasn't one to ask for help or a handout. It was that warrior's pride that led her to being a great fighter—and it also sent her down the pathway that held every terrible decision she ever made. With that in mind, Rapunzel could slowly piece together what was going on inside of Cass's head.</p><p>When Cassandra left Corona, she left on a quest for redemption. She would reach out to the world and find her own destiny. What did find instead? Four months of useless busywork and a Kingdom of people who despised her the moment they laid eyes on her. No matter what Rapunzel thought of her, she knew that Cass would never view that as redemption. Thinking back on their argument in the Void, she remembered just where Cassandra's rage was centered. She wasn't mad at Rapunzel for hating her—she was mad that she <em>didn't</em>. From Rapunzel's perspective, it made no sense but from the mindset of a woman who viewed respect as something to be earned? Who viewed forgiveness as transactional? Rapunzel had summoned Cassandra away from her one mission, inadvertently yes, but conclusive all the same, and after fighting so hard and failing to earn that respect from anyone important, Rapunzel just walks up to her and hands it to her on a silver platter. She thought that would be helpful, but now that she considered it more carefully, she didn't know if she could do anything more degrading. She was basically telling Cass that all of her work didn't matter, that she didn't need to do anything to earn her love, that her entire redemption mission was pointless. It was akin to cheating. Why <em>wouldn't </em>Cass be upset by that?</p><p>"<em>Hey, family! How are you?"</em></p><p>Rapunzel was unceremoniously dragged out of her thoughts by the sound of Cassandra calling from the balcony. Her parents' heads perked up, but instead of relief, she only saw them grow more disconcerted. When Rapunzel managed to turn around and saw Cassandra approaching their table, she immediately understood their concern.</p><p>Cassandra managed to dress herself. That was maybe the only order that Rapunzel saw in her. Every step that Cass took was slightly off-kilter to the one before it, not so much a confident swagger but a notably unsteady stumble. She had a giant smile on her flushed face, one that reeked of smugness and contempt barely hidden under a mask of sincerity. Rapunzel's heart sank when Cassandra plopped herself in the seat next to her and stretched out her arms over her head. She knew that even across the table, her parents could likely smell the alcohol on her breath.</p><p>"Cass," Rapunzel said simply.</p><p>"Mornin', everyone!" Cassandra said with a satisfied sigh. "Or I guess afternoon. Happy Sharing-With-Cassandra Day! Man, it's <em>so great</em> that I get to spend this time with all of you. You even saved me a plate of bread. Thanks. You all know how much I <em>love</em> bread." Cassandra grabbed a slice of bread and munched into it as everyone around the table just stared at her. She moaned with exaggerated delight as she swallowed it, grinning and clasping her hands together. "Ah. So good. Nothing like a good lunch to start the day with my favorite family."</p><p>Rapunzel narrowed her gaze, trying not to get frustrated. Cass had only been gone for a few hours; just what on earth was she doing with herself.</p><p>"Cassandra—"</p><p>"Oh, Raps! I didn't see you there," Cassandra said happily. She placed her hand over the Princess's and gripped ever too tightly. "How's my favorite wife? I'm so <em>glad</em> that we get to spend this day to honor our <em>special </em>relationship."</p><p>Rapunzel barely reacted when Cassandra leaned into her and placed her lips on her cheek, giving her a sloppy, overdramatic kiss of affection. Aside from the alcohol, Rapunzel could notice the sheer disgust dripping off every word. Her jaw clenched, but Cassandra barely noticed the increase in tension under her lips, enjoying herself far too much. The former handmaiden nestled herself into the crook of Rapunzel's neck, cutely nuzzling herself up against the Princess like a puppy dog. She gazed up at Rapunzel lovingly—or like she was about to spit in her face.</p><p>"Y-Yes," Rapunzel said mutedly as Cass pulled away from her. "You know how much I love you. But maybe we shouldn't do this in front of my parents, Cass."</p><p>"Oooh, why not?" Cassandra pouted. "I mean, we should be <em>honest</em> with them. That's what I love about you so much, you know. How <em>honest</em> and <em>kind</em> and <em>open</em> you are with me. Shouldn't we share that <em>honesty </em>with them?"</p><p>Frederic awkwardly looked away from the table. Arianna brushed her face with a napkin. Eugene said nothing at all. Rapunzel held her breath, holding firm as Cassandra kept trying to get under her skin.</p><p>"Cass, is there something we need to talk about?"</p><p>"You know what else I love?" Cass said suddenly, never breaking away from Rapunzel's eyes. "How <em>accepting </em>all of you are. I mean, your daughter—and your wife, Fitzherbert—openly entering into a polyamorous relationship with her former lady-in-waiting? Damn. I'm sure I said it a thousand times before, but that had to be <em>really</em> <em>hard</em> for all of you. And yet you've all been so wonderfully <em>kind</em> to me. I don't know how I'll ever repay that. Add that to the list of debts, huh?"</p><p>"Well, we're <em>all </em>glad that you're happy," Rapunzel stated. "And that means a lot to us: how happy you are."</p><p>"I'm sure it does."</p><p>"It does."</p><p>"Oh, I <em>know</em> it does," Cassandra smirked. "And I'm glad that I get to make <em>you</em> happy, too, Raps. I'm glad that my presence in your life gives you such <em>meaning</em>."</p><p>She was pushing it.</p><p>"Of course, it does," Rapunzel said coldly. "I…I <em>love </em>you so much."</p><p>"And not just emotional happiness," Cassandra grinned, leaning closer. "<em>Physical </em>happiness, too."</p><p>She was really pushing it.</p><p>"Not in front of my parents, Cass…"</p><p>"I mean," Cassandra shrugged, "I knew you were athletic, but your flexibility last night was—"</p><p>And it was pushed.</p><p>Rapunzel stood up from the table, grabbing onto Cassandra's hand and pulling her sharply up to her feet. "Okay, we're going to have a talk," she announced to the table, her face turning a bright shade of red. They weren't even her real family, but just seeing how uncomfortable they were made her feel sick. Cassandra could barely hold back her laughter as Rapunzel dragged her back toward the castle, satisfied with how much pure chaos she could cause in just a few seconds. The King, Queen, and Eugene all watched them leave with their appetites wasted and their understanding of their child's relationship shattered. It was one of the few things Cassandra could be happy with in the past week. She didn't know where Rapunzel was going to take them, but she could tell just by her body language how frustrated she was. They were on their way to have a long talk—and she, for one, was looking forward to it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. A Much Needed, Completely Unhelpful Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cassandra is drunk. Rapunzel is furious. These two forces will hardly resolve peacefully.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We heard you like Cassunzel angst. Now here is some Cassunzel angst.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took Rapunzel a lot of effort just to drag Cassandra up to her bedroom. The blue-haired handmaiden fought her every step of the way, planting her feet, languishing against the walls, telling stupid jokes, and doubling over into unrepentant laughter. It was like trying to battle against a lion, if the lion was drunk out of its mind and kept telling profane jokes to every guard it walked past. When Rapunzel <em>did </em>manage to get Cassandra into her bedroom, she stumbled and twirled herself about as Rapunzel locked the door behind her, trying to stop anyone else from seeing Cass's embarrassing behavior. Her cheeks were so hot that she felt like they were on fire, yet somehow Cassandra kept prodding her all the same.</p><p>"Wow, Raps. How romantic!" Cass said, delicately placing her hand on her forehead. "You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet."</p><p>Rapunzel pressed her back against the door and her fingers against her temples, trying to stop the steam from coming out of her ears. Pascal scurried across her mirror, blending himself into the background to watch from a safe distance. Cassandra flopped onto Rapunzel's bed, spreading out her arms wide over the silky sheets that were more luxurious than anything she had ever felt before.</p><p>"Cassandra…what are you doing?" she asked carefully, each syllable laced with frustration.</p><p>"What <em>I'm </em>doing?" Cassandra scoffed. "Hey, you're the one that took me to <em>your </em>bedroom in the middle of the afternoon. That's weird. You're weird."</p><p>"Cass—"</p><p>"I mean, shit, is that how you seduced Eugene?" Cassandra said with a devious smirk, sitting up and bouncing on the mattress. "You move <em>fast</em>, girl. Then again, you did fall in love with a guy you knew for, like, a single day."</p><p>"Cassandra, please—"</p><p>"The <em>first</em> guy you ever met. Jeez, have some standards—"</p><p>"<em>Cass</em>," Rapunzel said more forcefully. Cassandra finally stopped talking, though her smirk never left her face. Rapunzel kept fidgeting uncomfortably, and every time she did, Cassandra only seemed to become more pleased with herself. She knew she had to remain calm, but that was easier said than done with all the constant weirdness going on. Rapunzel took a very, <em>very</em> deep breath and tried to continue. "Can you…can you please tell me why you are acting like this?"</p><p>Cassandra tilted her head and gave the Princess a puppy dog pout. "Awwww. You don't like how I'm acting? Strange. I could have sworn you were the one who wanted me to relax a little."</p><p>"There is a difference between relaxing and…<em>this</em>," Rapunzel stated. "You said that it was important for us to stay focused, remember? We are trying to get out of this place. I have been looking all around town for clues. That's what <em>you </em>wanted."</p><p>"Oh?" Cassandra said curiously. "So, we're caring about what I want now?"</p><p>Rapunzel narrowed her gaze. "What is that supposed to mean?"</p><p>Cass shrugged. "I'm just saying that you've been more than happy to operate on your own lately. I told you not to go into the wasp cave and you did. I told you not to get involved with that assassin lady and you did. If you want to go further back, I think I also told you not to read that Incantation out loud. Oh…and you did. Look how well that turned out."</p><p>There wasn't any real malice in Cass's voice; to her, they were just pure, unbiased facts. Maybe that was why they stung so badly. Rapunzel doubted Cass wanted to hurt her, but bringing up her curse in that manner was just wrong. Even if they weren't meant to be bad, she had to realize what impact they were having. Or, then again, maybe she didn't. The alcohol might have soaked so deep into her brain that she could no longer tell what those words meant.</p><p>But Cassandra was still smirking. Still confident. No…she knew <em>something</em>.</p><p>"Cass, you know that I have <em>always</em> tried to listen to you," Rapunzel said clearly. She took a few cautious steps toward the bed, hoping that Cassandra wouldn't turn away from her. "But that isn't important right now. What I want to know is—"</p><p>"Hey, why don't we sleep in the same room?" Cassandra asked suddenly, flopping back onto the mattress. Her eyes wandered up to the ceiling, tracing the painted patterns along its surface. "You want to tell me that we're married and we can't even sleep in the same room? That's probably bad. Oh wait, it's because of <em>Eugene</em>, isn't it? Do you think you have some kind of schedule for who you get to spend the nights with? I know I wouldn't be able to last ten seconds with his snoring right next to me."</p><p>Rapunzel sighed. She had never been around Cassandra when she was drunk before, nor was she herself a drinker. She had been drunk maybe once in her whole life sometime during her honeymoon, and she wouldn't even call that <em>drunk</em>. More like mildly lightheaded. She took the last remaining steps toward the bed and quietly sat herself down next to Cassandra. She tried her hardest to concentrate. Externally, she tried to sound as soothing and gentle as possible. Internally, she was getting ready for a fight.</p><p>"Cass—"</p><p>"You start a lot of sentences like that," Cass noted. "It's always Cass this and Cass that. I know what my name is."</p><p>Rapunzel sighed. Again. "Look, I get that this week has been really, <em>really </em>hard on both of us. I get that you are tired, and you're frustrated, and you are super confused, and believe me, I am all of those things, too. And yes, it's great that the curse isn't affecting me here, but I need to know that I can rely on you in case something happens. It's not even the jokes that bother me. It's the fact that you would be willing to do this that really…" She tried to carefully select the words that wouldn't lead to another sarcastic comment or non-sequitur. "It's <em>upsetting</em>. And…I can't really understand why you would even want to do this."</p><p>For a moment, Cassandra's smile faded, and Rapunzel couldn't tell whether or not she hadn't through to her. Cass never looked at her. Her eyes were locked on a painted star that hovered directly above her, and she stared at it unblinkingly as if it would jump out at her at any moment. Rapunzel waited for her to respond, to justify her actions, to say anything that even implied she was listening to her. But Cassandra merely snickered, her lips tightening into a thin, disenchanted smile.</p><p>"Sooooo…" Her words lingered on the tip of her tongue as she clicked it against the roof of her mouth. "What'cha gonna do about it?"</p><p>She casually stretched out her limbs over the bed. Rapunzel just sat there and looked at her.</p><p>"Do…what?" Rapunzel asked, baffled.</p><p>"You tell me," Cass stated. "I did something wrong, so what are you going to do? Yell at me? No, you hate raising your voice. Stop being my friend? As if. Give me a punishment? You're not my mom. Like, fuck, I got myself wasted in another dimension, and the most you can say about that is that it's <em>upsetting</em>? Come on, Raps. Grow a spine."</p><p>Cassandra slowly climbed off the bed. Rapunzel didn't follow her. "Cass—"</p><p>"There it is again! <em>Cass, Cass, Cass…</em>"</p><p>"Do you want me to be mad at you?"</p><p>"I don't know. Haven't decided."</p><p>"I don't like getting mad at you."</p><p>"You don't like getting mad at anyone. The Pscyho-lady-whatever? She tried to stab you and you worked with her. <em>I </em>tried to stab you and here I am."</p><p>"Because we need her help and you're my best friend."</p><p>"But what if I wasn't?"</p><p>Rapunzel spoke firmly. "You <em>are</em>."</p><p>"But if I <em>wasn't</em>," Cassandra said hypothetically. "What would you do? I have these Moonstone powers again. What if I just turned evil and tried to impale you on a black rock? Ooh, what if <em>I </em>said the Decay Incantation—just really fuck the whole thing up. What would you do? How would you react? See, that's my problem with how you're acting."</p><p>"I really don't think <em>my </em>behavior is the problem here," Rapunzel countered.</p><p>"But it kind of is," Cassandra said nonchalantly. She casually leaned against the mirror on the wall, musing out loud to herself. "Every time something goes wrong, you always try to <em>fix </em>it. If I'm depressed or hurt, no matter what I've done to you, you'll always be there trying to make it better. And that's so…so annoying. I didn't ask for you to come fix me. I didn't <em>want </em>you to come fix me. I didn't say I wanted to be fixed <em>period</em>. But here comes perfect, compassionate Rapunzel, swooping in with all of her honesty and shit, trying to make everyone happy. You know, some things can't actually be fixed. Some things probably shouldn't be fixed even if they can be, and the fact that you think you can all the time is just really…really…"</p><p>Cassandra lost her train of thought, but her point was clear. Rapunzel gently hugged her knees and sighed into them. Cass waited for her to say something. She had said enough herself. For now, at least.</p><p>"You…you are drunk," Rapunzel said dismissively. "I don't think you understand what you are talking about."</p><p>"No, I think I understand just fine," Cass said smugly. "I mean, you said it yourself. I <em>hurt </em>you. Those were the words, right? I hurt you more than anyone ever had. And yet you're still here, nurturing me like I'm a baby. I have to admit I'm curious. Just how badly do I need to hurt you to convince you that I'm a lost cause?"</p><p>Rapunzel tightly squeezed her dress. "You could never convince me of that."</p><p>"Really?" Cass mused. She looked down at her hand—her own perfect, unburned, unscarred hand that bore a ring of false, wishful promises. She flexed her fingers. "What if I started insulting you?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Physical injuries won't do it. Apparently stabbing you doesn't do the trick," Cassandra shrugged. "So, I guess I'd have to emotionally hurt you, right? That would probably make you dump me."</p><p>Rapunzel pressed her forehead into her knees. "This is ridiculous…"</p><p>"You are…" Cassandra dramatically pointed her finger at Rapunzel's stupid face and spoke with great passion. "You are an awful painter!"</p><p><em>Of course</em>, Rapunzel realized. They were going to be <em>drunk </em>insults.</p><p>"Okay?" Rapunzel said, slightly playing along just to get it over with.</p><p>"Y-Yeah," Cassandra said, swinging her fist through the air. "Your drawings <em>suck</em>. I could draw better than that when I was five."</p><p>"All right, Cass. If you say so."</p><p>"And you know what? You have terrible fashion sense. All those years I had to dress you, and it was like you only wore the same fucking outfit."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"Pink isn't a good color on you."</p><p>"You…you got me really good, there."</p><p>Cassandra snickered. "Oh, I'm <em>destroying </em>you. It must be hard having to rule a Kingdom where everybody loves you. Probably nothing but great feedback all the time. The slightest little insult is going to…"</p><p>She trailed off once again. Goodbye thoughts. Worthless, worthless thoughts. She laughed to herself and shook her head and started to pace around the room. Her bright blue hair rested on her face in tangled clumps.</p><p>"Nah. No, I can't hurt you like that," Cassandra said. "You're <em>perfect</em>. I can stand here all day and try as hard as I can, but what the hell could I ever say that would mean anything? You're flawless."</p><p>"I'm not flawless," Rapunzel said, but Cassandra laughed her off.</p><p>"Sure. You have the problem that 'you care too much.' You know, one of those bullshit problems that aren't really problems. That's not a <em>real </em>issue. Can you honestly say that you've had any personability flaws like I have, or like Eugene? Face it, Raps: You're a perfect little ball of sunshine. If you weren't, I wouldn't be here."</p><p>Cassandra suddenly stopped directly in front of Rapunzel's bed, smirking to herself. Rapunzel only grew more uneasy as Cassandra clenched her fist.</p><p>"But actually…that doesn't matter. Because I'm trying to hurt you, right? And it doesn't matter whether or not you're actually perfect, because you're just going to deny it. Just pointing it out seems to make you uncomfortable enough, but there's something even worse than that to you." She held up her right hand and turned it over, examining it like some foreign object. "This is proof. Right here. Proof that no matter how perfect you are—how kind and generous and <em>fantastic </em>you are—you could have been better. You could have been like this world's Rapunzel. You could have actually <em>saved </em>me."</p><p>Rapunzel had been resting against her knees, but that comment caused her to suddenly sit up straight. Cassandra had no remorse when she said it, no real concerns about whether or not her comments actually created their intended wound. Yet, there wasn't any longing there either. No regret. It was once again said just like a plain, unbiased fact. Rapunzel asked herself why Cassandra had to say it like that, whether it was just her drunken tone or she actually meant it.</p><p>Did it really matter?</p><p>"I…" Rapunzel stammered. "You know that I tried as hard as I could—"</p><p>"Yeah. You told me," Cassandra said bluntly. Even wasted, she remembered Rapunzel screaming those words at her in the Void. "It was my fault for not talking to you. Except it wasn't. I found out what happened. I talked to the girls. They told me what secret, magical thing you did in this world that changed everything. You want to know what did it? The thing that saved my hand, and stopped me from betraying you, and made me literally <em>marry </em>you? You want to know?"</p><p>Rapunzel stepped off the bed and reached out toward Cassandra. "Look, Cass-"</p><p>Cassandra recoiled from her touch and threw her arms up in the air in disbelief. "You <em>talked</em> to me. That was it! In the Great Tree. You remember it, right?"</p><p>Great Tree? Wait, was she talking about…</p><p>"I was feeling so dejected then," Cassandra rambled. "It was like the world was tearing my opportunities away from me, one after another. Being in Adira's shadow, no one trusting my judgments, feeling like you didn't need me…I thought I was never going to amount to anything. And all that happened in our world was you <em>ignoring </em>me, and then my hand…" She scoffed and rolled her eyes, placing her right hand deep into her pocket. "But here, during that one night we spent in the tree, you apparently woke up. You went to find me, and we ended up talking, and…you apologized. Upfront. Pre-injury. And that was it. It was one small difference that bled into everything. My hand never got withered. I didn't lose my faith in you. And then I guess one thing led to another and…here we are. Together. Happily ever after."</p><p>Rapunzel couldn't even fathom it. She couldn't move. Cassandra paced circles around her like a vulture waiting to watch her break, but she was so stunned that she couldn't even show weakness. All that time of doubting, questioning what went wrong in their relationship—a full year of regrets and nightmares over what she lost—and it turned out that the secret to all of it was a single five-minute conversation that she never bothered to have. That night was such a distant memory, overshadowed by the destruction that occurred the next day. She remembered sleeping there, and she knew that Cassandra was on lookout, and she thought she might have remembered waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of haunting singing but…</p><p>She had brushed it off, hadn't she? Dismissed it out of hand. <em>Cassandra is fine</em>, she probably thought to herself.</p><p>One conversation would have saved their friendship. She felt her stomach twisting into knots. Would that mean this other life would have been her own? It seemed so outlandish, yet…come to think of it, Cass never mentioned anything about their marriage. She didn't mention falling in love. It sounded like she never even asked about it. It almost sounded like she thought it was an inevitability, that if they had never fallen out their natural feelings would reveal themselves. It seemed heartless to ask. Cass wobbled as she walked around her, her lips pushed out and her eyes squinted and focused on her. Cassandra was doing this to have fun. She wanted to hurt her. Well, she was getting it. Rapunzel hoped she was satisfied.</p><p>"I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say," Rapunzel said softly. Cassandra once again planted herself in front of the Princess, leaning in to get a good look at her face. Rapunzel took a deep breath, but it became caught in her throat as the guilt suddenly overwhelmed her. "I wish I knew. Believe me, if I knew I would have…I-I never meant for any of this, Cass. I just wanted you to be happy. If this life is s-something better for you, I would have tried as hard as I could to do that. You know I would. I just…I didn't know. I swear."</p><p>Was she crying? Her eyes felt hot, but she didn't feel any tears. Cassandra was watching her intensely, waiting to see how she would break. Rapunzel pressed her fingers against her cheeks to brush away whatever remained.</p><p>"You know, um…" Rapunzel hesitated. "I really tried to tell myself that I…that I did everything I could have to help you. I was so hurt, and maybe it was a little easier to justify that pain if I thought I couldn't help it. And I know I apologized before, but I never realized just how much of it was my fault. I should have been more attentive, and if I was better, I would have known that you were hurting. I said I was sorry but…I was a <em>really </em>bad friend to you."</p><p>Rapunzel took another deep breath and dabbed again at her eyes. This time, her fingers came away wet. "I think I understand why you said you didn't want me around anymore. So much of this is my fault, and I've been trying so much to make your life better that I haven't realized that…I'm probably what's wrong with it. If you still hate me for that in any way, I get it. It was wrong of me to ever ask too much of you I'm…I'm <em>so</em>, so sorry, Cass."</p><p>She turned away before Cass's gaze could linger. She quietly walked to the other end of the room, toward the mirror where Pascal sat in quiet, nervous anticipation. She gently held out her hand, and he scurried onto her skin and up her arm, nestling himself along her shoulder. She instinctively patted his head for comfort, but she didn't even feel right looking at him either. The guilt was so overwhelming that she had to keep her head down. She kept dabbing her eyes dry, but the pain was deep, unwilling to come out. Her sadness only released itself in the shakiness of her breaths and the careful way she hugged herself. From across the room, Cassandra looked at her, unmoving, slightly hunched over with a firm pout. They had been separated before: by time, by kingdoms, by destiny and fate itself. And yet, Cassandra couldn't recall a time they ever felt more apart.</p><p>Rapunzel expected to hear Cassandra's snark at any moment. She was waiting for the perfect, biting insult to hit her in the back, and maybe some part of her was looking forward to it. But Cassandra didn't have the strength to hurt her. Instead, Rapunzel heard footsteps and the sound of a mattress compressing, and then louder than anything else was Cassandra's sigh, tired and frustrated and anguished.</p><p>"Goddammit…"</p><p>Cassandra collapsed her face into her palms and tugged at the edges of her hair.</p><p>"No…you're not supposed to…fucking stupid…"</p><p>Rapunzel hesitated, but she turned around just in time to see Cassandra slamming her fist into the mattress.</p><p>"Cass…I'm sorry—"</p><p>"No," Cassandra cut her off. "No, stop…stop apologizing. You're not supposed to feel <em>sorry</em> about it. I'm trying to…oh my God, can you just not?"</p><p>Rapunzel tentatively stepped forward. "N-Not what?"</p><p>"Not…being like this!" Cassandra screamed, flustered. "I'm trying to make you mad! I want you to be mad at me! That is the whole point, you stupid…dumb…stupid…" Cassandra lost the words and buried her fingers into her scalp in frustration. Rapunzel barely understood what she was trying to say. It made sense before. She wronged Cass. Cass was mad at her. Easy. Perfect. Logical. Done. That was the root of all the self-loathing. At least, it should have been.</p><p>Rapunzel crawled onto the opposite side of the bed from Cassandra, brushing away the last of her tears. Pascal smartly scurried off her shoulder. He didn't need to be present for her. Not for this. "I'm never going to be mad at you, Cass."</p><p>"W-Well, why not?" Cass asked desperately. "Like, what the hell am I supposed to do to get you to hate me? Do I have to beg? For God's sake, Raps, give me a break."</p><p>"Why should I hate you? It's my fault you're—"</p><p>"No, it isn't!" Cass exclaimed, her words slurring together until Rapunzel could barely understand her. "I'm being unreasonable! Obviously, you couldn't have known to talk to me then. Things happen! You've done for me than anyone I've ever met, and you really think I'm mad you haven't done <em>more</em>? Come on! The hell, Raps? Get it…get it together."</p><p>"But," Rapunzel stammered. "I don't get it. Why are you so upset then? Why are you trying to hurt me?"</p><p>"I don't want to hurt you."</p><p>"You were saying some very hurtful things," Rapunzel stated.</p><p>"No, I want…you have to <em>think </em>I'm trying to hurt you. Think, think, think. And then you'll be mad and leave. That's…yeah…"</p><p>"Why do you want me to leave though?"</p><p>"I can't. I just can't."</p><p>"Can't what?"</p><p>"Can't tell you," Cassandra said, shaking her head. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears herself. The alcohol was bringing out things that she never intended, and she couldn't stop herself from letting her mouth run with drunken blubber. "Secret. I can't."</p><p>Rapunzel begged. "Cass, please."</p><p>"Nope. No, no," Cassandra insisted. She shook her head firmly. Rapunzel tried to touch her again, but Cass resisted her still, recoiling away. Yet, it was softer. Less forceful. She didn't even stand up from the bed. Rapunzel took a deep breath and tried again. Gentler. She shuffled across the mattress, and carefully, tenderly, she wrapped her arms around Cassandra's back and hugged her from behind. Cass didn't resist anymore; she rocked back and forth as Rapunzel breathed into the back of her neck. Their hands laced over one another on Cass's lap, and they sat there in silence for a minute before Rapunzel tried one last time to break through to her.</p><p>"You said you didn't want to hurt me. Well, watching you suffer like this <em>does </em>hurt me. It hurts a lot knowing that you're in pain and I can't do anything about it. You don't have to tell me anything. That's your right. I get that. But this is the second time that we've done this in a week: us crying over these things. I don't want to do it a third time. I just want to fix what we can now and get back home. If you really, truly don't feel comfortable telling me what's wrong, I'll accept that. I won't ask again. I promise. But I am never going to stop trying to help you. I will do whatever I can to keep you safe, whether you want me to or not. I think it'd be better for us to be working together than fighting one another."</p><p>Cassandra squeezed Rapunzel's hands. She squeezed them as hard as she possibly could without hurting her. They were so soft. Softer than usual. Maybe that was the drinks playing tricks on her mind. Or maybe her injured hand stopped her from feeling normal, and now that she was free, she could finally feel things as they really were. Rapunzel was so warm against her skin. Like fire, or the sun. She felt Rapunzel's chest rising and falling on her spine. Even as the complete mess she was, she didn't mind staying like that for a while.</p><p>And then the pain started up again and she smiled sadly. "Maybe <em>that's</em> your one flaw, Raps. You just never know when to let things die."</p><p>For just a moment, Rapunzel's stomach twisted into knots.</p><p>Did she mean by that…</p><p>Surely, she couldn't have been…</p><p>Rapunzel decided that it was just a turn of phrase. Nothing in particular. Just…a poor choice of words considering their somber history.</p><p>She pulled herself out of the hug and carefully pulled Cass to her, guiding her further onto the bed. "Hey. When was the last time you slept?" Rapunzel asked quickly.</p><p>"Um…"</p><p>Rapunzel grabbed Cassandra by the shoulders, and while she could barely consent, the Princess lowered her against the pillows, forcibly resting her head. "There's apparently going to be a big feast tonight for the holiday. Why don't you close your eyes until then, okay? I'm sure you'll feel so much better after a little rest."</p><p>A little rest? It had been days since she last slept, fueled entirely by adrenaline and a passion to keep Rapunzel safe at all costs. Cassandra needed a lot more than a few hours' rest. But she couldn't let herself fall asleep anyway, not in a dangerous place like this.</p><p>Like that comfy, comfy bed.</p><p>With those nice sheets.</p><p>"No. I don't need sleep."</p><p>"Yes, you do." Rapunzel gingerly removed the sheets and layered them over Cass's torso. She struggled, but she was so uncoordinated that she couldn't resist. "You've been working yourself to the bone. You'll feel better once you sleep."</p><p>Cassandra's eyelids drooped. Her chest felt heavy. Slowed. She immediately found herself slipping away into the darkness of sleep. She mumbled to herself.</p><p>"Need to keep going…"</p><p>Rapunzel shushed her, tucking her firmly under the blanket. "I'll keep looking for a way out. Don't worry. Just regain your strength."</p><p>Somehow, Rapunzel managed to convince herself that she was correct. Cassandra was just tired. That was the cause of her problems. Once she was well-rested and no longer drunk, she would feel much better. They could go back to normal then.</p><p>Cassandra stopped struggling. All those hours of forcing herself to stay awake came back to bite her. She was barely conscious after a few seconds. Stupid alcohol. Making her all drowsy…</p><p>Maybe a small nap wouldn't hurt anybody.</p><p>"Hey. Raps?"</p><p>The words barely came out intelligible. Rapunzel leaned in toward her face.</p><p>"Yes, Cass?"</p><p>Cassandra grumbled. The tension left her face. Her voice wasn't even as loud as a whisper. <em>"Ah lum ooh…"</em></p><p>She was out cold. The room was finally quiet. Rapunzel breathed out a sigh of relief and gently caressed Cassandra's cheek. She smiled softly. "Love you too, Cass."</p><p>Rapunzel was exhausted herself. She had barely been treating herself better than Cassandra. Part of her wanted to just snuggle up next to the woman and call it for the day, but she had work to do and mysteries to solve. She told herself that she would leave get back to work.</p><p>But maybe in a few minutes. For the moment, she was content to just watch Cassandra sleep. Seeing her so relaxed was a rarity these days. She thought she might as well enjoy it.</p>
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